Jennifer Craw and the Sentinels of Merlin 7
by jcwriter
Summary: JC 7 Sntnl 4: The power of Ancient Magic is lessening, perhaps dying altogether...or is there something causing it? But Hogwarts is forced to look inward to face attacks on professors. Is this the end of Wizardkind? Or is the missing Sentinel the key?
1. How to Catch a Witch

_Welcome to the final book in the Sentinel Series(JC Series two: which begins with Jennifer Craw and the Cloak of Icarus.), and I hope you really like this...don't be surprised if in this book you see a lot more legends, mythical creatures out of British/Irish history, and brushing up on your Arthurians wouldn't hurt either g Severus Snape and Essie Willowby really tend to steal the show for most of the book...well, until the last couple chapters...but I think you'll find it an appropriate end to the Second Series._

_Last revision: 12-08._

Jennifer Craw and the Sentinels of Merlin

Chapter One

How to Catch a Witch

The Broom Closet, known to outsiders merely as the Snape residence, was anything but a quiet cottage. Of course, that was quite understandable with a wizard, two witches, a Hogwarts student, and three magically disposed children in the house. But even though it was a rather small house for so many, there were also peaceful places to go when one wanted to relax; the basement… where the wizard of the house often lurked when chaos loomed upstairs, the garden… where the witch of the house went to get some much needed sun and to prune home-grown potion ingredients, and the nursery…but only at naptime.

But the best escape for Severus and Jennifer was the master bedroom, which was completely off limits to anyone in the house under the age of eighteen; and that covered just about everybody. It had been hard to enforce that rule with Alex, who was two, until her father somehow convinced her they kept a dragon under the bed (Jennifer suspected that his basilisk Rasputin had something to do with that.) Still, all in all it was a wonderful place to go to get away from the kids for a while.

A small window of heavily cracked glass above the bed let in cool ocean breezes and the sound of the waves crashing along the cliffs below the house. Nearby was an ornately carved stand where Jennifer's familiar Ratfly the fruit bat could be found sleeping at nearly any time of the day or night, unless he was eating or running errands. A large painting of Jennifer hung upon the antique yellow walls, accompanied only by a small, penciled sketch of Severus, who watched her from Jennifer's nightstand. And on the wall opposite the bed was an ornate vanity with a large curtained mirror stood. Small memoirs dangled from the corners of the mirror; a tiny potion bottle on a chain, a unicorn necklace, and trading cards dangling upon a string of black satin ribbons. On top the vanity, alchemist's roses and ornate jewelry was laid out, accompanied by a lovely music box of a prince kissing a sleeping princess.

Jennifer stood in front of the mirror, looking thoughtfully into her own green eyes. She was a Truth Seeker, one who could read the thoughts of people from their faces, and sometimes it was easier for her to read her own thoughts from a mirror then try to work them out on their own. Slowly she finished pinning up her auburn hair with her family crest barrette, looking over her ivory satin dress with a frown before glancing back at her face in the mirror, nodding to herself.

It was then that she was startled by a shadow in the mirror and turned around to see her husband standing in the doorway, gazing at her with an expression reserved for her alone, and looking unusually fashionable in his black dress robes with gold trim. It was, in fact, the same dress robes he wore when they were married – the only dress robes he had, really, but the only ones he needed in his opinion. Jennifer could hardly complain, not when he looked so good in them, although it did tend to make his face seem even paler, the gaze of his black eyes more intense in the bargain. His black, usually unruly hair was pulled back in a tail out of the way, and in his hand was a lightly steaming potion which he tapped his fingers against, almost impatiently.

"Have you finally reached an agreement with yourself?" Severus taunted. "Your potion is getting cold. Just one sip, mind you. I don't need you wasting away on me."

"How long have you been standing there?" Jennifer said, blushing slightly as she took the potion from his hand. He took another step in and closed the door.

"A second, a moment…perhaps forever," Severus mused, his gaze never leaving her.

"Well, I see you're in a mood today," Jennifer said, blushing even redder, taking a quick sip of the bitter liquid. She grimaced in disgust and handed it back as she felt her midsection tighten uncomfortably and then finally relax, losing several pounds in a number of seconds. Finally it stopped and she exhaled when it was done, looking satisfied again with her reflection. "Wonderful! Now maybe I can finish getting this dress on. Do you mind?" Jennifer asked glancing his image in the mirror, and Severus put down the brew to lace and button the back.

"So what were you conferring with yourself about anyhow," he asked, noticing her watching him.

"Severus, do you think I'm vain? For taking a cosmetic potion I mean?" Jennifer asked. Severus gave her an almost exasperated look.

"Rather late to argue the point after you've taken it, isn't it?" he said, glancing at her in the mirror. "If you feel more comfortable with yourself a few pounds lighter then who cares what anyone else thinks?"

"Well, which way do you think I look better?" Jennifer asked, and promptly had her head pushed down to look at her feet.

"Oh, no you don't, I am not getting baited into that one," he said firmly, not letting her look at him. "If I answered I like you better this way you'd criticize me for not liking you as you are, and if I say the other way you'll demand to know why I'm humoring you," he said, lifting her chin back to look in the mirror as he lingered at the next to last button at the top. "Either way, you're still the most beautiful woman in the world, and I am not the only one who thinks so." She smiled at him lovingly, feeling her buttons with her hand.

"All done?"

"No, there's one button left, but I think I'll leave it undone," he mused, a mischievous tone in his voice even though his face remained rather expressionless.

"Severus," Jennifer said with a shake of her head, trying to reach up to button it but he grabbed her hand.

"There's just something so final about it," he said in her ear, leaning over and kissing the back of her neck where the collar would have been.

"Severus!" Jennifer exclaimed, squirming away with a chuckle. "We have a very important wedding to go to. We don't have time for this."

"Yes, but I was thinking if I left it undone, it'd be one less button to worry about when we get home," he said with a sinister smile.

"You are wicked," Jennifer said, trying to beat him to the door, but he was a moment quicker, blocking the way with his arm.

"Yes, and you prefer it when I'm wicked."

Just then there was a knock and Severus scowled, while Jennifer smiled triumphantly.

"Saved by the door again!" she laughed, reaching for the handle.

"Delaying the inevitable," Severus murmured in her ear as he moved so she could open the door.

Their nanny Carol Finn was on the other side, smiling cheerfully at them. She too, was dressed for the wedding in a deep green gown, her voluminous red hair piled up in a loose bun on her head.

"My, you both look wonderful! Remus is here and Corey should be back soon with Essie, and the rest of us are all ready whenever you are," she smiled.

"We're ready," Jennifer said, stepping out into the kitchen, Severus right behind her. Remus Lupin sat at the small kitchen bar, waving at them both as they came in.

"Severus, how are you? Jennifer, glad to hear you're feeling better," Remus said politely, nodding to them with a smile.

"Thank you, it is nice to be up and about again," Jennifer said, picking up Andrew from his bassinet. "I still think Sagittari was just being overly cautious confining me to bed rest for a month. I was just a little tired, that's all."

"All that matters is that you're well again. Besides, veterinarians always know best," Remus said. Severus glared at the reminder that Jennifer's centaur doctor considered himself that. "Doctors too," Remus added diplomatically.

"Fava! Fava! Toes? Toes?" In the next room, Alex was jumping up and down in the pen, leaning over the side to look at her father. Beside her, Aurelius looked at her in apparent annoyance, while trying to figure out how to unbuckle the buckle on his shoe, disinterested in anything else.

"No, no toes," Severus scowled at her, picking her up. Carol then picked up Aurelius, who didn't seem too thrilled about being held until she offered him a cup of milk, which he immediately turned over, hoping that the milk would pour out. But Carol had remembered to charm it, and the one year old sucked his thumb in obvious disappointment.

"What does 'toes' mean?" Remus asked with a grin.

"It's just a game that wasn't supposed to be," Jennifer grinned back.

"Never mind that, I'm sure he's not interested," Severus glared, putting Alex on a chair then opening the front door. Severus stood there a moment tapping his fingers impatiently until finally he pushed it open wider to let his adopted son, Corey Willowby and Corey's younger sister, Essie into the house.

"Did you bring everything I asked you to?" Severus asked Essie, looking at her steadily.

"Yes, Uncle Severus," Essie said, quickly folding the playpen up before handing him her potion wallet for him to peruse. "Everything you told me to bring. And I have my wallet, emergency floo powder, and the emergency book…"

"Yes, and here's the key. Don't loose it, and don't touch the handle," Severus warned her.

"Severus, she's not going to be the only one watching the nursery area at the wedding, there will be several adults there as well. Is all of that really necessary?" Remus asked.

"Yes," Severus snapped. "There are going to be hundreds of people there and many I don't trust. How many escape routes have you memorized?"

"Ten, Uncle Severus," Essie said.

"Good. I guess we're ready then," he said.

Jennifer only smiled at her husband, nodding. Perhaps he was being a tad overcautious, but Jennifer knew how many times that tendency had saved their necks. Severus wasn't about to take any chances with his own children. He picked Alex back up and headed over to the fireplace, taking the lead as the others lined up behind, each one distinctly calling out, "the Weasley Burrow" as they entered.

Bill and Heather were standing by the fireplace to greet visitors as they came in, cleaning them up as they arrived and welcoming them warmly.

"It's good to see you! Jennifer, you made it! How are you feeling?" Bill asked, shaking her hand.

"I'm fine, thanks," Jennifer said, trying not to feel annoyed. Did everyone in the world know she had been ill? If so, it was going to be a long day.

"Harry's been waiting for you Remus, Severus. And actually, Jennifer, he'd love to see you too I'm sure," Bill said.

"Where is the nursery area set up at?" Essie asked, obligingly taking Andrew.

"Here, let me help. I'll show you the way," Heather smiled, taking Alex.

"I'd better take Aurelius, he hates being picked up," Corey offered, taking him from Carol. But Jennifer and Severus both guessed from the start it was Corey's way of wheedling away from the adults.

"Don't go anywhere out of the area, and stay out of trouble," Severus scowled at him warningly.

"Don't worry, I'm just going to help Essie until Doug and Taylor get here," Corey said. Jennifer watched them go with a frown. Carol patted her shoulder reassuringly.

"There now, don't worry. I'll keep dropping by to keep an eye on them, you just try to have fun," Carol told her, buttoning up Jennifer's button. Jennifer blushed slightly.

"Where's Harry?" Remus asked.

"Up the stairs in Ron's room. Percy's guarding the stairs but he'll let you all up," Bill told them, nudging them over.

Sirius answered the door of the room, grinning at them before looking over his shoulder.

"Witch present! Is everyone here decent?"

"Nope, no decent people here," said a voice Jennifer didn't recognize.

"Ok, guess it's safe to come in then," Sirius said with a grin, opening the door wider.

Jennifer walked in to see quite a number of wizards hanging around, most of them she recognized as former students; Fred and George (Fred still easily recognizable with his black hair), Oliver Wood, Lee Jordan, Dean Thomas, Justin Finch-Fletchley and a frog were all in attendance. But none of them made her quite as happy as the man leaning in the windowsill, attempting not to hit his head in the low ceiling room.

"Rubeus!" Jennifer said with delight, and wasn't happy until she worked her way over there to give him a big hug.

"Jennifer! Good to see you! Why, everyun' tol' me you weren' well, but here you are, and looking not a day older than when I first saw you," Hagrid said, hugging her back.

"Well, you know how things get exaggerated around here," Jennifer said, glancing at Ron.

"Hey, don't look at me, I haven't written the rumors column in a year," he protested.

"That reminds me, watch out for Colin Creevy, Ginny had the brilliant idea of giving him a camera to take pictures at the wedding," Harry told her. "And no, Severus, you can't borrow my cloak this time," he added, getting a round of laughter from the others.

"I'll just stand in the back then," Severus said evenly, but Harry just grinned at him.

"Oh, no you don't. I stood up at your wedding; you can stand up at mine. Jennifer, Hermione's been wanting to ask you to stand up for her, but she wasn't sure you'd be able to make it, you might want to talk to her."

"I had a feeling I would get roped into this somehow," Jennifer grinned, and then glanced at the frog. "What happened to Neville?"

"He was the first one to fall asleep last night," Oliver explained.

"I hope you're not planning to make him go to the wedding like that," Remus chuckled.

"No, but if he ever gets married and is the first to pass out then, he may be in trouble," George said, and the rest of them chuckled at that.

"Where are the babies at? Did they stay at home?" Hagrid asked.

"No they're in the pen downstairs if you want to see them. And how's Maxime doing?"

"Pretty well under her condition," Hagrid said, rocking on his feet with a smug look on his face. "Due in August, so with any luck ours will be going to Hogwarts with your latest, Jennifer."

"What, not staying at Beauxbatons?" Jennifer said surprised.

"No, well that is, if we have a choice, we're hopin' to send him or her up here."

"You'll have a choice," Harry said with a nod. "And I'll bet they'll be a Gryffindor."

"Well, one can hope," Hagrid said. The dower look on Severus' face seemed vacant of enthusiasm of that prospect. Jennifer smiled at her husband knowingly, stifling a chuckle.

"I'd better be getting on to see the girls, make sure he behaves himself, will you Harry?" Jennifer said teasingly.

"Well, I can't make any promises, you know how he is," Harry jerked his neck towards the scowling Severus, getting up. "Hang on a moment, you have a button undone," he said, buttoning her. Jennifer blinked in surprise and gazed over at Severus who broke into a sinister smile. Blushing, Jennifer made her way out.

Between Mrs. Granger, Molly Weasley and Minerva hovering about…not counting Lavender, the Patil twins and several others, the brides' room was hardly any less chaotic than the others, greeting Jennifer warmly when she showed up. Jennifer protested the idea of joining the wedding party, until Ginny mentioned they could use a flower girl, and Jennifer found herself talked into letting Alex do it.

That was when she decided she had better check up on the kids, following Molly's directions out the kitchen door where a small fenced-in play area was. But Jennifer soon saw she shouldn't have worried, for sitting in the center of the pen in a chair much to small for him was Albus Dumbledore, contentedly holding Andrew. Andrew in turn, had a rather impressive hold of the Headmaster's beard, wide-awake and listening to him talk as if understanding every word he said. Jennifer couldn't help but chuckle at them, stepping in. Essie was also there, of course, reading to Alex and the Shea's little girl, while Julie Brim was keeping Aurelius and another boy busy building with a set of large building blocks, which Aurelius kept knocking down when the other boy wasn't looking, determined to build the higher castle.

Jennifer chuckled and stepped into the pen near Dumbledore, waving to the girls.

"Do you need to be rescued?" Jennifer asked him.

"Oh hello, Professor. I was just getting acquainted with little Andrew Albus. He has your mother's hair, doesn't he?" Dumbledore smiled. Indeed, Andrew did seem to have the same fine, golden brown hair and intense gaze that often reminded him very much of her mother.

"He's my little angel," Jennifer agreed with a smile. "Not that the others weren't good, but this one never fusses at all and sleeps all night. I don't know where he gets it from." Dumbledore chuckled.

"Perhaps he knows his mother needed a little extra recovery time. He does seem to be a very considerate little chap, doesn't he? I'm sure he'll go far. But then, I'm quite sure they'll all go far," he smiled, tucking him back into a small bassinet nearby.

"Are you officiating today?"

"No, the honor today goes to Arthur, and I daresay it's appropriate…oh, I might have contributed a bit to the vows," he added mischievously. "And how are you feeling? You're looking much better."

"Did I really look so terrible as all that?" Jennifer said, her exasperation catching up with her.

"You slept several days afterwards without waking, Professor. But then, I suppose it's totally understandable after all the adventures you had last year on that island. It's not every day one has to deal with an entire city that no one was even sure existed," Dumbledore said with a kind smile. "We only ask because we do care about you, and I am delighted to see you back to your old self again."

"I know, sir, sorry. I didn't mean to snap. It's just everyone keeps asking me that," she said as he got up, glancing down at the sleeping Andrew before stepping out of the pen with him.

"You have so many people that care about you, Professor," Dumbledore smiled at her. "And yes, at times that can get tiring. But I think you will find in times of trouble it'll carry you through stronger than any spell ever would. I'm curious, however, now that you've six years behind you and a year in the Order, do you still feel you are 'just' Jennifer Craw?"

"I don't know," Jennifer said with surprise. "I haven't really thought about it."

"That is definitely progress," Dumbledore said with a pleased smile. He paused then and Jennifer looked up to see Erik Dalance heading their way.

"Good afternoon Albus, Jennifer. And how are you feeling?" he asked her.

"Very good, thanks," Jennifer said.

"Good! I was hoping you'd be better. We have a meeting next week, you know," he told Jennifer with a wink.

"Same time and place?" Dumbledore asked.

"Of course," Erik smiled. "And I can't wait to hear your report on the island matter."

"Don't worry, we'll be there, won't we, Professor?" Dumbledore assured him.

"Yes, of course," Jennifer smiled.

"She still hasn't given in to calling you Albus yet?" Erik asked, feigning a whisper. "Those Craws are a stubborn lot, aren't they?"

Jennifer put her hands on her hips.

"I haven't given up hope," Dumbledore smiled. Just then there was a flash, and Jennifer looked around to see Colin Creevy peering from behind a camera, grinning at her.

"Perfect! Three of the most influential people in Britain and I have them all in one picture," he said.

"Influential? Me?" Jennifer repeated with a grimace.

"Oh, dear. A new stumbling block," Dumbledore sighed.

"She's going to run out of toes at this rate, Albus," Erik teased as they headed back through the crowd.

Flower petals from nearby trees floated through the air on a cool refreshing breeze as the ceremony took place, and Jennifer couldn't imagine a more lovely setting. It had taken quite a bit of mother's coaching to get Alexandria all the way up the isle with her rose petals, who seemed very aware that everyone was fawning over her, trying to take her time despite her mother's insistence. But then as she approached the front Alex noticed her father standing beside Sirius, Remus, and Percy, both of the grooms peering back at her. Harry was smiling slightly, but Ron looked a bit off balance. Alex stopped and dumped the bucket out then, deciding she was done, holding her hands out to Severus.

"Fava? Toes? Toes?" Alex asked, holding out her arms. As the crowd chuckled, Severus made a face and quickly shook his head at her as Jennifer came and picked her up with a grin, pulling her back to stand with Carol just behind the Weasley's. Molly was already sobbing incessantly by the time Arthur and Mr. Granger walked Ginny and Hermione up the aisle, seeing her last baby and her only girl wed. Mrs. Granger comforted her with a pat on the back, and although she wasn't showing it, Jennifer could plainly tell she was feeling the same. As for Jennifer, she couldn't help but find herself gazing at Severus every now and then, remembering their own wedding, and everything that had occurred to get them all to this point.

Suddenly she noticed that Remus was also looking back at Carol with an almost wistful way, turning before she could meet his eye. Was he going to ever tell her the truth about his condition, Jennifer wondered? Even though it was quite plain to her that Carol knew of his illness, Carol was waiting for the time when he was ready to speak of it. Jennifer also couldn't help but also be a bit worried about the feelings behind his gaze, knowing that Carol probably wasn't going to be around forever. She looked at Severus, wondering if he too had come to the same conclusion.

Before Jennifer knew it, Arthur was reading them the last of their vows off a card he composed with Dumbledore (she didn't doubt that for a moment after he made Hermione promise never to bring a book to bed and for Harry to spend at least one night a week at home), and in an uproar louder than she ever remembered hearing before they were both pronounced Wizards and Wives. Jennifer couldn't help but think that the four of them never looked happier, and how right it was that they'd all come together for this! Hugs were quickly passed all around, until Jennifer felt Severus hand on her shoulder, gazing at her steadily while Alex squirmed, trying to get him to pick her up.

"Fava? Toes? Toes?" Alex asked.

"No, now stop bringing it up," Severus said, sounding a bit grumpy. He picked her up to carry her back to the pen.

"What does 'toes' mean, Jennifer?" Heather asked curiously from in front of them. "Oh, and your top button is undone in the back." Jennifer shot a look at Severus but was quite a ways ahead of her. She fixed her button again.

"Severus' favorite method of punishment rather backfired when he tried to use it on Alex is all," Jennifer grinned at her. "Now she begs for it." Curiously Heather walked with her over to the pen just in time to see Severus uncuff his wand long enough to turn the little girl upside down, dangling from her toes. Alex pushed her dress up out of her face and began giggling uncontrollably.

"Severus Snape!" Jennifer snapped folding her arms. Severus looked around in surprise and Alex suddenly fell to the ground with a thud, rubbing her head with an exclamation of 'owie!' and then trying to get the petals and leaves out of her own hair.

"She asked for it," Severus said expressionlessly. Heather couldn't help but chuckle as Jennifer helped her up, kissing her on the top of the head.

"Stop spoiling them," Jennifer scolded him accusingly, stepping back out of the pen again.

"I don't spoil them," Severus said defensively. "I only spoil you."

"There you are," Bill said, coming up behind his girlfriend. "So what do you think, you want to get married here when its our turn next year?"

"Ah, love is definitely in the air today," Jennifer grinned at them, glancing back at Severus.

"Whatever gave you that idea?" he asked with a frown, unbuttoning her top button.

"It's just one of those days when nothing can go wrong no matter what's going on in the world," Jennifer said.

"Well, those four deserve it. Especially Harry, after everything's he's done for all of us," Bill said.

"Jennifer! Severus!" Anna came over to greet her brother, Sirius close behind.

"Come here for a moment, Jennifer, I want to show you what I got Harry," Sirius said. Jennifer knew perfectly well he didn't want to talk about presents, but followed him around the corner to the reception area. "So, I don't suppose you remembered the you-know-what?"

"As a matter of fact, I did bring it," Jennifer said, taking out a potion bottle, but pulling it out of the range of his hand, looking at him very seriously. "You know what you're doing, right?"

"Wait two weeks after taking the other potion before I use it. I know I know," Sirius said, peering around the corner nervously.

"And just a sip at a time, and I do mean a sip. Any more and you might risk having multiples," Jennifer said sternly. He nodded solemnly and she handed it over.

"Thanks, Jennifer, I knew I could count on you."

"You know, you really ought to tell her," Jennifer said thoughtfully.

"Now Jennifer, you know how she's been lately," Sirius said. "Ever since we got back I can't get a straight answer from her about anything, let alone this. You've watched her long enough to know it's time," he said, gazing at Jennifer. Jennifer sighed and nodded.

"All right, all right, it really is none of my business," Jennifer protested. "Besides, I like the idea of having our kids in the same class together. But if she asks me where you got it from, I'll deny everything."

The two conspirators headed back around the corner to find Anna standing in the pen, holding Andrew. The two of them smiled at each other knowingly then walked over.

"So what do you think? Think they'll like it?"

"Someone will at least," Jennifer said, forgetting they had gone over there to look at a gift, picking up Aurelius while Alex was holding her hands out to Sirius.

"Where's Severus?" Jennifer asked.

"Over there, talking to Aunt Viv," Anna said, nodding to them. Jennifer recognized the silver-haired woman she briefly met at Anna's wedding, walking along the wall with Severus the two of them deep in conversation. Jennifer hadn't realized how tall she was until just then, easily matching Severus in height. "He hadn't remembered her, before that day we talked to Fudge," Anna explained.

Jennifer nodded thoughtfully at that, remembering that they had mentioned Anna's aunt had gone to her own parent's wedding as a friend of Dumbledore's. And yet, after all those years, the woman had not a wrinkle on her; her hair the only outward sign of any age. Jennifer snorted at that. And she thought she was bad for taking one lousy weight potion, she chuckled at herself.

But they were soon distracted as they noticed the two brides standing up with their bouquets in hand, casting the spell on them to make the throw. As Hermione's red bouquet went into the crowd, Jennifer cringed as she saw Carol step out with the flowers, trying not to panic. Well, perhaps it was still far off and she was just the closest date, Jennifer tried to convince herself. It could still be years away. But then as Ginny threw her orange bouquet it headed straight towards them, falling right in the arms of Heather where she and Bill were standing near the pen.

"Does that mean Carol is getting married within the year too?" Anna asked, seeing Jennifer's pained face. Jennifer nodded numbly. "You'd better start nanny hunting while you still can," Anna grinned at her, but Jennifer wasn't so amused. As much as she hoped that Carol would be happy, she knew how hard it would be to find a new nanny.


	2. Encounter at Grendelbane's

Chapter Two

Encounter at Grendelbane's

It hadn't exactly been Corey's idea to get a summer job. In fact, it had been the farthest thing from his mind when he left Hogwarts last year. But after his Mom took sick and his Dad got tired of yelling himself hoarse telling Corey and his friends to keep it down, his adopted parents made it quite clear that he was going to do something productive.

Still, if he had to have a summer job, Corey couldn't think of a more prestigious one. Even though his boss, Grendelbane the Eighteenth, was a goblin through and through and a very hard taskmaster, Corey actually enjoyed his job separating and grading the woods to be used in wands, sanding and preparing them and other ingredients and minding the counter. Although Corey hadn't known it at the time, Grendelbane had inquired about him before the end of the school year; he had a keen eye for a promising physical arts student. And being a Focus Caster who didn't require a wand to use magic worked to Corey's advantage, for no other wand had to be used to enchant what he made, keeping the wands pure and free from outside influences.

Five days a week, Corey took the floo to Myrkinbrek, the goblin's exclusive town deep below the surface, where enchanted sunlight beamed down on the buildings as people mulled about in the streets to shop. There he performed all sorts of chores and errands, for the goblin did give him an idle moment. He was not even quite sure how much he was going to get paid at all for his efforts, for it was decided by Grendelbane and his parents (Corey found it annoying that he had little to do with the negotiation, goblin tradition or not) that he would be paid one lump sum at the end of the summer based on the quality of his work. Not that Grendelbane had any intention of letting Corey slip or dally at his work in any case, but Corey privately wondered if he was getting deducted for every time the goblin had to tell him to pick up the pace.

But even thought the work was hard, Corey learned to like his boss, who on a whim would stop what he was doing and show Corey something new with wand making, taking over the shop at times so the boy could practice it. The goblin also never seemed to have a kind word for his progress, criticizing every little detail, but Corey had learned from working with his own Dad that the often-brutal criticism was anything but personal dislike. Rather the opposite; the more the old goblin bellowed, the more Corey knew he cared about Corey's progress.

Of course, there was one person who often came into the shop that Corey didn't care for at all; Grendelbane's twin brother, younger by two minutes, Beowulf. Beowulf was a sour, well-to-do accountant, who often seemed to come in for no better reason than to criticize his brother in a very unproductive manner, and even worse, harp on his lack of business sense. It was Corey's belief that the deep rivalry between them stemmed from jealousy over Grendelbane getting the shop, for Beowulf often pointed out to Grendelbane in no uncertain terms that their parents always thought him the better wand maker. And so that day like many days, Beowulf came into the shop and Corey reluctantly went to get his boss, who scowled ferociously at being disturbed.

The shop's familiar, the Beard Wand, floated in the air behind him as they came in, and upon seeing who it was promptly stuck up its end as if sticking up its nose and strutted back to its display cabinet, shutting the door behind itself.

"Is that boy _still_ here?" Beowulf said disdainfully. His dislike for Corey had been evident from the start; Beowulf did not approve of his brother taking on outsiders as apprentices.

"And making progress," Grendelbane said coldly. "Gold knows he works harder than you ever did."

"And any fool knows that you don't gain capital by working for money, you gain capital by making money work for you," Beowulf sneered.

"What do you want, Beowulf? I am in the middle of setting a most expensive wand and I am not in the mood to deal with your snide remarks today," Grendelbane said.

"My principal client needs some work done on his wand, and I told him that you would give him a fair deal this time."

"And exactly what's in this for me?" Grendelbane asked, his dark eyes flashing. "I don't see why I should give your clients any breaks. Besides, every time the man comes anywhere near this place, I end up needing a new display cabinet."

"You inherited that wand along with this shop, so that is your problem," Beowulf snarled. "I bring you business, and you should be grateful for my generosity."

"I don't need your generosity, Beowulf, or your clients. I'm quite capable of managing my own business. Now if you don't mind, get out of _my_ shop and go back up the shaft where you came from."

"Yes, you heard him, up your shaft," Corey quipped. Beowulf growled and moved as if to grab the boy when the Beard Wand suddenly burst back out of the display and between them, aimed at Beowulf.

"Your apprentice need to learn some manners, Grendelbane, no wonder you're losing so much business these days," he snarled.

"The business always has its up and down times. We'll pick up by Christmas like we always do," Grendelbane said, nudging Corey towards the back and handing him a dusting cloth.

"That would depend a great deal on how you treat my client this time, Grendelbane," Beowulf said, squinting and making it clear he had no intention of being talked down to. "May I remind you that my client is a very influential man, and if he is displeased I am sure he will make sure that everyone else knows about it. I would so hate to turn in a red book to Gringotts again this year. I don't think the bank would be quite as understanding as I am," Beowulf said with a smile. "I at least, am willing to let it go, being the family business and such a Myrkinbrek landmark for so long. But if you don't learn to cut corners on your spending, it won't be long before the bank will be wanting to sell it to someone more capable of producing a higher profit margin."

"Beowulf," Grendelbane said, looking at him steadily. "Up your shaft." Beowulf sneered at him.

"He will be here in a few minutes," Beowulf said as if Grendelbane hadn't said anything at all. "I expect you should put that _thing_ away and be ready to greet him better than you greeted me," the goblin said, turning and walking out of the shop.

"Oh, I'll give him a greeting," Grendelbane muttered out of his breath, knowing quite well that his hands were tied. "Willowby! Stop peering around the corner and get the chains off the wall."

"The chains?" Corey said curiously. The string of heavy iron chains had been hanging over the worktable since Corey began working there, but never had they been taken down before.

"Yes," Grendelbane said, grabbing the Beard Wand before the wand could float out of range. "They're going to need to go around the cabinet. Hurry up!" he ordered.

The Beard Wand had already started to struggle against the goblin's grip at the mention of being locked up, and Grendelbane threw it in the cabinet, quickly shutting the doors and reaching for the chains Corey was holding. He spoke a single word and the chains rushed out of Corey's arms and began to wrap itself the cabinet. Large locks began to snap around them, so that Corey could hardly even see the cabinet for all of the iron around it.

"Mind the counter until he gets here. I really need to finish setting that dragon wing wand," Grendelbane sighed.

"Yes, sir," Corey said, gazing thoughtfully at the cabinet as he began to polish the counter. But the Wand didn't make a sound, completely resigned to having to stay put, and Corey couldn't help but wonder at the lengths the goblin had gone to. Of course, he'd always known the Wand was quite particular about who came into the shop, and made little bones about displaying his dislike of some of them.

Perhaps that's why business was slow? Corey wondered. No, he decided, remembering then what his dad told him when he'd mentioned it before. Grendelbane was hardly a struggling business. If he sold twelve wands in a year he'd make more than many a Wizard business and would have been doing quite well indeed, for Grendelbane only catered to the elite. As a goblin business where money, politics, and even the law went hand in hand, such a 'petty' profit margin would have seen it as merely breaking even, and might have even earned the very vulgar title of being a 'charity' business. But Grendelbane's focus had always been on the wands first and money second instead of the other way around, and that more than anything set him apart from his brother. Corey was secretly glad that Grendelbane had been the one to be two minutes early. He couldn't imagine what the business would have been like under his brother's control.

The bell above the door rang out, and the Wand peeked out of a little area between the links, trying to see. Looking up, Corey broke into a sudden smile seeing Danny walk in the door, also surprised to see him.

"Corey! Whatever are you doing here?" she said.

"Working. My parents made me get a job over the summer," Corey explained.

"So that's why you haven't been writing so much," Danny said, folding her arms.

"Well, that, and the fact that Dad wants to scan any piece of post going to and from the Malfoy residence," Corey chuckled. Hearing the name, Grendelbane stuck his head out the door, staring at her.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"I'm Danyelle Nelson, Lucius Malfoy's niece," she explained. "He wants to know if it's safe to come in."

"Safe enough I expect," Grendelbane grunted, glancing at the cabinet. She waved at Corey and stepped back out, coming back in a moment later with her uncle. Suddenly a loud banging noise began coming from inside of the cabinet, shaking uneasily every time it occurred. Lucius paused just inside the door, gazing at the cabinet warily, clutching his cane as he looked over at it. "Ah, Mr. Malfoy. What can I do for you today?"

"You can start by putting that Wand out of its misery," Lucius muttered, frowning as the banging got louder. "And what is _that_ doing here?" he added, gazing at Corey who was matching his gaze with pure dislike.

"Working," Corey said simply.

"Then start working and stop gawking," he said with obvious irritation.

"Willowby, why don't you go check on that wand set?" Grendelbane said warningly. Corey knew better than to argue with Grendelbane but didn't lose sight of Malfoy until he was all the way in the workroom, moving around the desk as quiet as he could so he could hear what was going on.

"There's something wrong with my wand lately, it's been starting to fizzle out from time to time and seems sluggish on command," Malfoy said, taking the wand out of his cane and handing it over. "I also want it realigned to perfect precision."

"This wand has seen a lot of use," Grendelbane mused, looking over it. "There are some rather interesting enchantments on it as well," he added, eyeing him thoughtfully. "Might I ask who made it?"

"A personally hired wand maker," Malfoy said evenly, looking at the goblin steadily. "But he had little luck with improving it so it was suggested I take it to you. And if you don't mind, I'd rather it be taken care of by you personally…I don't want that Snape foundling you hired to touch one finger on it."

"Of course, sir," Grendelbane said, nodding again, remembering all too well what had happened in front of the shop two years before.

"How long will this take?"

"A week at least, I do have other repairs…" There was a thud and jingle, and Corey realized it was a coin pouch hitting the table.

"Tomorrow morning, correct?" Lucius said.

"Very well," Grendelbane agreed, eyeing the pouch thoughtfully.

"And I require a temporary wand in the meantime," Lucius added. Grendelbane glanced back at the workroom, calling Corey's name.

"Get Mr. Malfoy one of my personal wands, please," Grendelbane ordered. Corey was taken back a bit, for Grendelbane had never been willing to hand out a wand like that before. Getting an idea, he headed over to the display cabinet, but Grendelbane and Malfoy both barked at him before he got all the way there. "NOT one of those," Grendelbane snapped. "Out of the drawer in the back."

"Maybe you had better pick the wand. I wouldn't put it past Willowby to give me something inferior," Malfoy said. But Malfoy's unfortunate choice of wording suddenly angered Grendelbane, who snarled in warning.

"Mr. Malfoy, there are no 'inferior' wands in this establishment. If you think that you can find any better you're more than welcome to try." The two of them eyed each other calculatingly, not moving until Corey came back with a box in his hand. Grendelbane slowly looked down and opened it, nodding at the boy.

"A twelve and a half inch walnut serpent's tooth wand, a very reliable temporary wand for someone of your innate talents," Grendelbane said.

"And I didn't touch it, only the box," Corey said almost defiantly.

Malfoy eyed the boy thoughtfully, picking the wand up, getting used to the handle. Then he immediately turned it on the cabinet, spinning it around in a circle several times before finally turning the doors of the cabinet firmly against the wall, the banging still going on from within.

"Fine. This will do. And my wand had better be done in time, Grendelbane, if you expect to get the rest of your payment. A man of my standing can't afford to go without a wand for too long."

"Yeah, it might get dangerous," Corey said coldly. Malfoy turned and squinted at him, quite aware of the threat behind that remark.

"And you, Willowby, had better learn your place," Malfoy said in a low voice. "Your tongue may be brave now because of your 'parents', but one of these days you're going to say the wrong thing in the wrong place and you are most definitely going to regret it."

"Malfoy, if you have a problem with my apprentice I suggest you take it up with me," Grendelbane said, firmly grabbing Corey's shoulder and pulling him back a step.

"Or better yet, take it up with me."

The four of them looked up to see Severus Snape standing in the doorway with his arms folded, looking steadily at Malfoy. Danny quickly decided to step next to the wall out of the way, while Grendelbane glanced up at the clock.

"Ah, is it three o'clock already? You'd better put away your work now Corey, thank you," Grendelbane said. Corey ran to take off his apron and put away his equipment, hurriedly throwing them on the hook and in the drawer, afraid he would miss something. But the two of them were still eyeing each other when he got back as if waiting for the other to move.

"Well, if it isn't the famous Defense teacher of Hogwarts," Malfoy said, his voice slightly mocking. "Supplementing your pathetic income with child labor, now?"

"Hardly," Severus said with apparent disinterest in being taunted, glancing at Corey who quickly worked his way over to his side. "Corey happens to be learning the benefits of making an honest living, not that I expect you to appreciate the value of that."

"I think he would probably benefit a lot more from learning how to keep a civil tongue," Malfoy said, "But considering his role models I suppose it's understandable."

"I don't have time for games, Lucius," Severus said tiredly. "But I had better not catch you threatening my son again. Or anyone else in my family for that matter."

"Or what, Severus?" Lucius asked challengingly, stepping up to him, shaking his head. "Did you really enjoy your stay so much at Azkaban that you're that willing to return to it?"

Just then, Lucius was aware that the cabinet was slowly turning back around. Quickly realizing his danger he whipped around with his borrowed wand and pointed it at Corey, ordering him to halt. Severus pulled out his wand then and Lucius, who seeing the movement behind him smacked his cane back towards Severus' feet causing him to dodge it, giving Lucius a chance to come around in a better position. Just as Lucius cast a spell, Severus countered with one of his own, the two blasts meeting in a strange head-on stalemate.

Corey wasted no time them getting the cabin turned around and Danny rushed over to help, unlocking the chains. As angry as her uncle was going to be at her, Danny didn't want either of them to die any more than Corey did. Within seconds they had the cabinet undone and the Beard Wand came charging out, forcing itself into Severus' other hand A blinding light then burst forth, propelling the two men backward from where they were and breaking the spells, forcing Malfoy over the counter and to the floor and Severus halfway out the door.

Corey ran over to Severus' side as he scrambled to his feet, the Beard Wand shooting back out of his hand. It aimed itself at Malfoy once more, blasting him with a bolt of lightning.

"That's it! I have had it with you!" Malfoy said, turning on the Wand. But as Malfoy began to cast the spell, the borrowed wand flew out of his hand, neatly caught by Grendelbane as it spun through the air. "I'll go to the board of Artifacts for this and have that thing impounded!"

"Go ahead and try," Grendelbane said, flinging both gold and Malfoy's own wand back at him. "But I ask you not to come in my shop again, or so help me, I'll let the Wand finish you off once and for all!"

"You'll be changing your mind soon enough when that Wand's destroyed," Malfoy snapped. "And as for you, Snape, the next time you try and cast a spell at me will be the last," Malfoy swore, storming out with Danny on his heels, watching his back in case the Wand decided to attack again.

"He can't really have the Beard Wand destroyed, can he?" Corey asked worriedly.

"Nonsense, he provoked it by casting at it. But never mind that, I want to know exactly what happened out there," Grendelbane snapped, suddenly grabbing Severus' wand out of his hand and looking at the ebon wood wand. Looking quite surprised, he gazed at Severus, then Corey then back again. "Serpent tooth?"

"Yes," Severus said, getting an odd suspicion and looking over at Corey. Corey broke out into a grin when Grendelbane looked at him as well.

"Now why is it that I suspect that was no accident?" Grendelbane asked.

"Well, I'd noticed the wand look an awful lot like Dad's when I had to polish them all last week. So when you told me to get Malfoy a wand, and I knew Dad was coming to get me, it just sorta came to me to pick that wand. Worked out pretty well, didn't it?" Corey said cheerfully. Severus growled softly, while Grendelbane failed miserably to hide his sneer of amusement. "At least we got him out of the shop."

"Yes, I suspect Beowulf will have quite a number of words for me when he hears about this, but no matter. And don't worry about the Wand," Grendelbane said, waving to Corey dismissingly and heading to the back.

"You all right, Dad?"

"Yes, but don't be too sure you will be when I get you home," he frowned at him as he headed out of the shop, looking warily around for any signs of Lucius. "How many times have I told you never to speak to him?"

"But Dad, he was a customer, I didn't have much choice," Corey said.

"You could have been a bit more careful about your wording," he snapped back.

"Yes sir," Corey said, knowing that was true. "Hey, can Malfoy get in trouble for pulling a wand on me?"

"Under the circumstances, I think it'd be best if we didn't pursue that," Severus said, having little desire for the Ministry to start wondering what spell he had tried to cast on Lucius. "And I'd appreciate it if you didn't mention it to your mother either. Go straight to your room or down to the basement to help me when we get back, but stay out of her sight until she forgets to ask you how your day was."

"Does that mean I'm not going to get into trouble?" Corey asked hopefully.

"Only if I don't," Severus said warningly as they headed back home.


	3. The Fall of Twilight

Chapter Three

The Fall of Twilight

Jennifer was awakened from her nap by a kiss, smiling happily as she looked up at Severus, who was gazing at her intensely.

"You had better get moving. You have an order meeting soon, you know," Severus told her, making the lights come up. Jennifer got a good look at him then and sat up with a frown, noticing the burns on his hands and face, white with freshly applied balm.

"What in the world happened to you?"

"I had a bit of an accident in the lab," Severus admitted. "Fortunately, I was able to contain it mid-explosion with a time delay spell that'll disperse the gas out harmlessly over a long period of time. It's all right now, but I really need to get a seal put on that room," he sighed standing up.

"What are you talking about? We had an explosion seal put on the lab when we first bought the place," Jennifer said curiously. Severus quickly blinked then turned away, but not quite quickly enough. "You moved the lab? I don't understand."

"Perhaps it'd be better if I just showed you," Severus decided, handing over her Merlin robes. "It was supposed to be your birthday present, but I suppose it is just as well you found out a week early. Now perhaps you can actually have time to enjoy it."

Jennifer threw on her robes, looking at Severus skeptically. True, she didn't mind being underground as much as she used to, but she didn't particularly like it, either. Severus ignored the look, impatiently waiting for her to put on her shoes and jewelry before walking with her out of the bedroom and immediately opening the basement door. Jennifer paused to latch back the door, but after seeing her stall, Severus grabbed her hand.

"No need for that anymore," he frowned at her. "Come on."

"Shouldn't we turn the lights up?" Jennifer said, nervously following him down the dark stairs.

"Not yet," Severus said. "Sirius and I have been working on this for months. I suppose it's surprising enough that you didn't find out about this sooner."

"I can't see a thing and I don't know what you're talking about, but you know how much I hate enclosed spaces," Jennifer said chuckling nervously.

"Yes, which is why we built this," Severus said. Suddenly the lights came up, and Jennifer stood in amazement to find that the large basement had been turned into a giant family room. A fire burst to life in the sea rock fireplace, instantly warming the cool basement air, while several plush chairs encircled them and plenty of beautifully woven rugs were spread in different directions across the floor. Behind the stairs where Severus' rickety desk and cot had been was a very comfortable nook filled with books and a corner-hugging sofa, and there was even a fenced play area off to one side with a small chest of toys and plenty of crawling room. Next to the fireplace, a door had been carved that had never been there before, and Jennifer couldn't help but peek in to find a short step leading down to a short corridor with two doors, which Jennifer supposed went to the new lab and a small work room.

As she was taking it all in, Severus strode across the room to the front wall where a large curtain covered the entire length. Pulling on a rope he opened it, and Jennifer turned to feel a breeze on her face and came to take a closer look. The entire wall had been cut away from the cliff the house was resting upon, and Jennifer stared in amazement as she found herself standing on the edge looking out onto the ocean, the sky filled with color from the setting sun.

"Don't worry, the balcony is charmed so that none of the children can wander out on it," Severus told her, looking out. "But that doesn't mean you can't step out if you like. If you look to the left, you'll see that we're not far from the ladder down to the water," he said, watching her face carefully but her amazed expression hadn't changed. "I knew how you felt about the cottage, but even you have to admit it was getting a tad crowded up there, and I seriously doubted you'd let me take out the garden to expand. But vertically we have all the room we could possibly need between the cliff and the ocean. You can still easily hear what's going on in this room whether you're in the lab or the kitchen. My only question is if you feel you'll be comfortable enough to use it?"

"Why, I don't feel like I'm underground at all!" Jennifer said, taking a breath. "What a fantastic view! And what a very lovely room!"

"The decor was more Anna and Carol's doing," Severus grudgingly admitted. "But I hadn't had time to finish the spells on the lab after Sirius put it in, and I was going to be damned before I'd pay him for something I could do myself. I'd show it to you, but it doesn't have a window yet and it's a bit of a mess at the moment."

"Severus, this is absolutely the most thoughtful gift you've ever given me," Jennifer said, gazing at him lovingly, "Well, except perhaps this," she added, pointing at her ring.

"I'm glad you like it, because I think I would have a hard time returning it," he said expressionlessly. Jennifer chuckled at him.

"Hey? Mom's in the basement? Does that mean we can use it now?" Corey called from upstairs.

"Sure, come on down," Jennifer said before Severus had a chance to say no. Pretty soon they found themselves invaded as Corey came down to raid the game shelf and Carol put all the babes in the pen, Alex immediately inspecting the toy box for toys she thought she had lost. Carol then opened a drawer in one of the small tables in between two of the chairs, taking out her knitting. "Everyone's in here and it doesn't feel crowded at all," Jennifer said in amazement. "I suppose that means there is room for one more?" she added slyly to Severus as she went back up the stairs.

"Jennifer," Severus said, following close behind her as she headed towards the front door. "Perhaps we ought to take Sagittari's advice and wait a year," he said quietly.

"Wait a year? Oh come, now, Severus. Don't tell me you're panicking because I've been a little tired," Jennifer sighed, opening the door.

"Panicking no. Concerned, yes," Severus admitted with a frown. "I seriously doubt anyone would care or notice if the schedule was off a year."

"I would notice and besides I wanted…" Jennifer caught herself. She really didn't want to tell Severus about helping Sirius with Anna just yet. "I really want to have another this year. Don't worry, I'll be fine, and it's just once more and we'll be completely done and we can then put all the nausea and backaches and swelling toes behind us." Severus nodded reluctantly, not quite sure he was ready to give in yet. "I need to go. Have a good evening."

"Have a good meeting," he said, watching her thoughtfully as she stepped off the porch and Disapparated.

It had been nearly a year since Jennifer joined the Order of Merlin, and soon her year of being an initiate would be over. Not as if any of the others treated her or Harry as anything but a full member. Harry, she knew, would not be there tonight as he was still on his honeymoon, but it didn't take her long once she entered the Twilight Arc to find Lunette Vallid and Dumbledore standing together, smiling at her warmly as she approached.

"Good evening Jennifer! Good to see you again! And well done getting back the Cauldron, I knew you could do it if anyone could," Vallid said with a smile, shaking her hand.

"Oh, I had plenty of help, believe me," Jennifer said, shaking her head with a smile. "We wouldn't have made it if it hadn't been for everyone else's efforts as well."

"Yes, but who decided who to take?" Vallid asked.

"Professor Craw did, of course," Dumbledore smiled back at her.

"All right, all right, I should know better than to try and argue with either of you, since neither of you are known for losing arguments," Jennifer chuckled.

"Good evening everyone!" Arthur Weasley said cheerfully, coming up behind Jennifer and putting an arm around her briefly as a greeting. "I say, did anyone else notice all the Muggles on the grounds tonight?"

"They're having a Celtic faire of some sort, aren't they?" Vallid nodded with a smile.

"I thought it'd be fun after the meeting if some of us went over. From what they're wearing I'd say most of us would fit right in," Arthur offered.

"Sure, I'm game, sounds like fun," Vallid chuckled. "What about you, Jennifer?"

"Well, maybe for a few minutes."

"I'm afraid I have some pre-term paperwork to do, I'm sure I'll catch them some other time," Dumbledore smiled.

"Yes, getting about that time, isn't it?" Arthur said wistfully. "Feels strange not having to take the kids to Diagon Alley every year. Oh well, life goes on I suppose," he smiled, heading towards the front as they began to gather, and Jennifer couldn't help wonder what it must be like in that house with no kids in it. Of course, George was still there, and there were always any number of them visiting, but all the same she knew it must seem quiet after all those years.

Her thoughts were interrupted as everyone came to attention, and Erik smiled solemnly at them all. She was startled by the look…something was bothering him. But his mind soon turned its attention to the meeting and she lost the expression. The ghostly images of stones long fallen stood around them, completing the circle, making the bluish tinted area even more serene.

"Good evening, Council, colleagues, and welcome to our summer meeting. I have a feeling we have a lot to cover tonight so perhaps we'd better get started," Erik said, looking over to Witolf. "Shall we start with Ancient Business then? Glen?" The old alchemist was leaning even more on his old staff than ever before as several witches and wizards respectfully gave him room to step to the front.

"Yes, yes, Ancient Business, very important subject these days, isn't it?" Glen said, his eyes bright and energetic despite his frail form. "As I'm sure many of you have heard by now, Dagda's Cauldron has been returned to us courtesy of my dear friend, Jennifer Craw," he said, glancing over at her, who smiled warmly back at him. "And is also now under her protection. But the most amazing find, perhaps even more amazing than the Cauldron itself, is that the Fomorians are still alive and well, living all these years cut off from everything else, under the sea." A murmur went up around the Order. "They do seem to still hold resentment to those of Merlin blood for his part in their decline, and I daresay their other enemies as well. Their magic is of the elements, and it is still quite strong."

"But what are we to do about them? Are they a threat?" A Witch named Hildegarde Marley asked. Glen gazed at Jennifer and other eyes followed.

"What is your opinion, Jennifer?" Erik asked gently.

"I'm not sure that we should do anything about them, they truly only wish to be left alone," Jennifer said slowly. "It is true that they were very hostile towards us, but I dare say if they didn't have good reasons before then they do now. They're not an evil people, really. Just a remnant of a society time left behind. I don't think any of them would leave willingly, nor attempt to come after us."

"If I may, Erik," Dumbledore said beside Jennifer. "Although they see us as enemies at this point, considering what Jennifer has found about them, I think that perhaps they might be open to the right sort of contact. They may not listen to words of friendship from us, especially after having their prize stolen," he added, getting a slight blush from Jennifer, "but they may listen to someone from their own ancestry. I believe we should encourage a representative of the giants to the island. I have a feeling that it would be mutually beneficial for both their societies, and may also help us bridge a friendship with them on our own down the line."

"We also may be able to learn a great deal about ancient magic from them," Glen agreed, "and perhaps that would help us find a way to restore the balance. I believe Dumbledore's suggestion is probably the wisest action."

"A hand of friendship is better than a fist of war in any culture," Erik nodded, the rest of the council agreeing. "Let us then see if we can breech this wound of eons past."

"Thank you, Erik," Dumbledore said with a nod.

"Any other Ancient Business?"

"Oh yes, Equinox believes that it would be wise for us to hand over the Cauldron. They do not believe that the school is a safe place for it, and also claim that they found it first," Glen said, looking amused. Jennifer blinked at him.

"The school? Unsafe?" Dumbledore said, looking over his glasses.

"As much as I respect Balmweed's opinion about all this," Erik said, trying to stay solemn. "Considering from what I understand they nearly got themselves killed trying to fly there, I'm not sure they have any true claim on the Cauldron. Especially since it was indeed Jennifer's ancestor's at the time it was taken."

"Of course, I'm in complete agreement, Erik," Glen nodded. "But, Equinox seems to be more close-minded of late…and more disorganized, as if they fear something is about to happen. But what that is, they're not talking about." Erik mused over that.

"Very well, I will speak with them and see if I can find that out myself," Erik volunteered.

"Thank you Erik. No other Ancient Business."

"Very well then, let's move on to Old Business," Erik said, looking back over at Dumbledore.

"Some of this is also partially Profound Business, so I beg your pardon, Francis, if I upstage you a bit," Dumbledore said, but the vampire only smiled toothily and nodded at him. "We have two new ghosts at Hogwarts who are quite significant to the school's history, Icarus Ravenclaw and Janus Craw. They have been spending the summer with two of our paintings, fellow comrades of theirs, to debate who stole, and where is the Stone of Fal. As I remember saying last meeting, the one that was returned was proven by us to be a fake. The true one is out there somewhere yet. Harry Potter has volunteered, with the help of Ron Weasley, to search out possible locations to see if they can find it. So, if anyone else has any information about the stone, please feel free to contact him or I."

"The question is, however, when we do find it and have all four parts, what do we do with them?" Erik said thoughtfully. "Legends out of prophecy seem to be popping out of everywhere. An Aethermage with all four bloods being born, and the artifacts of the Seal showing up," he said. Jennifer was slightly surprised at the obvious mention of Anna, wondering if she'd missed something. "And yet what of the one that says that all four Sentinels will be present if the Seal is ever opened? Should we blindly look for the parts and just expect fate to set things right?"

"I believe, Erik, that yes, we do need to find the Stone of Fal for our own peace of mind, so that we have all parts of the Seal protected. For I believe that the seal is weakening on its own for some reason, which would explain why so many creatures of fae magic seem to be slipping through. If we do not strengthen it in some way, it may open on its own, like a dam bursting under extreme pressure and blotting out everything in its path."

"How long do we have left, Albus?" Erik asked quietly.

"Months, Days, Hours…" Dumbledore said shaking his head. "I am not sure. I am only sure it is still happening as we speak, weakening further all the time."

"We don't have years?" Erik said.

"No," Dumbledore said, shaking his head. "We do not."

"Then we must move," Erik said, looking around. "As much faith as I have in Harry, I want everyone with a spare moment to be looking for that stone. When you find one which might be it, grab an appropriate person to test it," Erik said, glancing at Arthur who nodded. "Let's make sure that stone is found before our next meeting."

"Thank you, Erik, I believe that would definitely be a good idea," Dumbledore agreed.

"Very good, any more Old Business?" he asked.

It was just as Lunette Vallid was stepping up to do her report on new business that Jennifer began to notice something odd. The phantom stones of the structure seemed to be wavering, even fading for some reason, and she kept hearing music. How strange, she mused.

"I'm pleased to report that several new Wizard-Muggle exchange programs that have been quite successful in the States for a number of years are finally gaining some support here as well," Vallid said with a smile. "Several special departments within the Muggle society have been set up, much like the ones we have set up to deal with Muggles but in reverse…expanding our criminal investigation resources and techniques, first and foremost thanks to Anna Hughes Black, local support groups in mixed communities, such as one started by Father Pachem in Haven's Bluff and Tyrone Flannigan in the Borough. I'm hoping to also try to get a doctor exchange program started as well, but I'm waiting for a friend to arrive to start that project. All of these, of course, are very low profile, and are likely to remain that way for some time, with public opinion here about 'mixing' being as it is," Vallid sighed, sounding slightly exasperated. "And I know that some of our own members don't feel comfortable with the pace we're moving at. But I would at least like to see our emergency services begin to cooperate to a larger extent, because I think it will be helpful to all of us."

Dumbledore was looking at Jennifer thoughtfully, even though he didn't say anything. All right, Jennifer admitted to herself. She didn't like it. Sure, the Muggles could probably benefit from it, and she did have a Muggle friend of her own she liked to talk to of such things. But it wasn't as if they could ever use any of the knowledge they gained, and it was sure to only cause a build up of resentment. Why bother, when things were going so well now without mixing? Especially now with Voldemort out of the way. But she knew that Dumbledore and some of the others thought the best way to prevent it from happening again was to integrate, but Jennifer would just as soon wait a few centuries so that some other generation had to deal with it.

"It sounds as if you are on the right track," Erik agreed with a nod. "We'll all be anticipating hearing how your progress goes with the medical society."

Jennifer found she had a hard time hearing him as the music got louder. She also noticed she wasn't the only one looking around with surprise. Just before Pyther stepped up to speak, the blue tint of the Twilight Arc suddenly lessened until it was completely gone, and Jennifer found herself standing in the middle of a bunch of odd people in strange costumes, looking at her with the same amount of alarm as she was giving them. Tents of feathers and flowers and beads and pins and amulets with curious knots filled the area, and others carrying large drinks of mead and other things mingled about.

The music had suddenly stopped as the Muggles stared at the sudden appearance of the oddly clad folk, and many of them began to step back from them unsurely. One of them spoke something to them in Gaelic, but Jennifer hardly had a translation potion on her, quickly finding her way over to Dumbledore as the others also tried to get out of the crowd and in towards the center of the ring.

"Oh, dear," Dumbledore said.

"Look! They're Druids! Come back from the dawn of time!" one of them said.

"Double oh dear," Vallid said under her breath, looking around to where Arthur Weasley had been but he had already Disapparated. "Arthur went to get help, I think."

"We can't possibly zap them all. Even if we could, anyone have any ideas how we explain this?" Erik asked.

"They all drank too much?" Archimedes offered.

"We should Disapparate, the damage is done already," Glen said.

"Have you come here to teach us the ancient ways?" another Muggle woman asked Jennifer.

"I think doing that would only make things worse," Dumbledore said to Glen.

"Um, no, I just came to buy one of those lovely trinkets," Jennifer said nervously to the woman.

"Certainly! That's two pounds six, ma'am."

"It's what?" Jennifer said, realizing she didn't have any Muggle money.

"Jennifer, perhaps you should stand here on the inside of the circle," Dumbledore suggested.

"Good idea, this is definitely a lot more integration than I think I can take in one night," Jennifer said.

"This is more than even I can take in one night," Vallid agreed.

Just then there was a large commotion coming from around the faire, and Jennifer saw with relief the form of Arthur Weasley and Arnie Peasegood in Muggle plainclothes along with dozens of other Ministry workers, surrounding the party.

"Alright then, party's over. This is a police raid, someone's goin' around giving folks hallucinogens," Arnie said, trying to back them all up. "We need to detox everyone affected. Could you line up please? Let's make this easier on all of us."

Arthur walked over to them nodding down the hill.

"We'll take it from here, you all just get down there out of sight and get out of here. Rather rotten timing for something like this," the Minister said.

"Arthur, I realize this situation is serious, but it's more serious than just a large Muggle cleanup," Erik said, many of the others turning to him solemnly. "In all the history of this Order, the Twilight Arc has never failed."

Arthur nodded somberly, not knowing what to say as he turned to his work. Others in the group walked out wearing Muggle suits as well to help the Ministry, while Jennifer and the rest headed down the opposite side that Arthur had indicated.

Jennifer felt a sinking pit develop within her as she turned with the others and walked down the hill, gazing over at Dumbledore and Vallid who both looked unusually somber. What could have possibly triggered the Twilight Arc to fail? Or was it just an omen of things to come?


	4. All the Houses of Hogwarts

Chapter Four

All the Houses of Hogwarts

It had been a bit easier leaving home this year, for although Jennifer already begun to miss her children, the routine that they had established over the years had helped to ease the anxiety, knowing she would see them at least every weekend even when she couldn't pop in during the week. And after the events at the meeting, she was also anxious to get back to getting a clearer view of what was going on, for the newspaper's reports had been disturbing of late; apparently the Arc wasn't the only thing that seemed to be failing. All across Britain, hidden portals and otherwise Muggle protected spells seemed to flicker and waver, even to the point that Muggles were having to be constantly obliterated and escorted out of Diagon Alley. It was a good thing they hadn't managed to get into Knockturn yet, Jennifer couldn't help but shudder at the thought. There were definitely some places hidden that were more dangerous for a Muggle than others.

But Jennifer knew that Dumbledore would have some ideas about what was going on, and as Minerva met them at the gate, she was unusually eager for their pre-term meeting with him. He was sitting deep in thought behind his desk when they arrived, staring at the paperwork in front of him as if not really seeing it. But when they walked in he stood up and greeted them both with a smile, gesturing to the chairs.

"Welcome back Severus, Professor Craw. I'm glad you have returned," he said as Jennifer got settled in the red high-back chair, Severus taking his normal position leaning against it. "I suppose you've both been following what's been going on since the Twilight Arc failed."

"Following it, yes, understanding it, no," Jennifer admitted. "Surely it's not true what they're saying. Surely it's an exaggeration that magic is failing."

"The spells that use Ancient magic do seem to be failing, at least," Dumbledore said, looking at her steadily. "And it is putting our secrecy on the line. If this continues to progress at the rate it is going, we will no longer be hidden at all by Christmas."

"Then perhaps we should begin converting ancient spells into conventional magic before they have time to get any worse," Severus said.

"We cannot convert all of them. Some of them lie in the very core of what they were cast upon, the magic woven into materials before they were created. If those sorts of items begin to fail, I don't think there is much we can do to restore it. And there is also no guarantee that if Ancient magic ceases to work properly that it won't affect the others. We must find out the cause of the disruption as soon as possible or the world as we know it will cease to exist." Dumbledore said solemnly.

Jennifer looked up at Severus worriedly. Severus only had a curious look of disbelief on his face. What was this going to do to the school if it was failing? Would it just cease to exist? How would she survive without magic? Would potions fail as well? But before she could fall into a true panic, Dumbledore put up his hand, gaining her attention back.

"And yet, just as when Voldemort threatened us all and we still performed our duties, so must we continue on even in this crisis. I understand these events may have very grave results, but we also must consider our students, and the school. As such, we will conduct business as usual and hope that a solution comes to light," he continued. "Professor Craw, I want you to keep a careful eye on the students anxiety levels in this crisis. Make sure everyone is getting the help they need even when they're putting a brave face on it. Severus, I want you to take a closer look at the security spells within the school, most of which are based on ancient techniques. See what you can do to reinforce them," he said, and Severus nodded. "Also, the Cauldron is now in Jennifer's office, and I have added extra protection surrounding it, so do not be too surprised if you run into my wards. I'm afraid that I also had to take the Disapparation exception off in that room, Professor. You both will have to use usual means to get out of the school now."

"Yes, sir," Jennifer said. After all, it hadn't been put there for her use at all, but for Severus when he had had to leave the school discreetly. She was quite sure it had only stayed as long as it had because of her claustrophobia, which had slowly been getting more tolerable as time went on.

"I'd be grateful if you would send me updated copies of any experimentation work you conduct with the Cauldron. I believe that Salazar was actually onto something when he conducted experiments with the Cauldron in potion making, and perhaps we can find a way to utilize it wisely to benefit the school and anyone else who has need of it. But if for one instant you notice its power waver, come get me or send me an express owl no matter where I'm at," Dumbledore said seriously. Jennifer could tell he was worried as much about Gryffindor's sword and the Spear as the Cauldron itself. Jennifer nodded.

"As for the upcoming school year, I'm sure you both know what you're doing. I've asked Francis Pyther to come again this year to restore the paintings on the stairwell, so he will be in and out. I trust you'll make him feel welcome," Dumbledore said, glancing at Severus, who grimaced slightly. "I've also given him permission to teach an art class once a week as an extracurricular credit. He's already proven to be a capable teacher from subbing History, and I truly think it'll help the students to have another outlet to express themselves. Jennifer, your guest Item speakers were a great success last year. Do you plan to continue that again this year?"

"Yes, sir, I'm going to try," Jennifer nodded.

"Good, I can't wait to see who you come up with," Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling a bit. "I may have even a suggestion or an old acquaintance or two I may dig up if you like. Severus, I would like to see you expand Defense a little bit to include some of what you teach in sparring."

"I'm not quite sure what you mean, sir?" Severus frowned.

"In sparring, I have noticed that you tend to give them quite a few options…what the best response is, then what the next best response is and so on, giving them more choice based on precisely what the opponent is doing. However, in class you have been focusing on the best solution. Don't be so hard on them if the student offers a working solution even if it isn't the textbook answer. As I've heard you say before, the mind is the best Defense, so encourage them to use it a bit more," Dumbledore suggested with a slight smile. Severus made a face but nodded slowly. "Good. Then I guess that is all for now."

After deciding to check on the Cauldron first, they began their way down the back stair, not speaking for a while. Jennifer glanced up at him as she entered the classroom, but didn't see any clue to his thoughts in his expression.

"Do you think that Ancient magic really is dying?" Jennifer asked quietly.

"No, I don't, and you shouldn't either," Severus said calmly. "You of all people should know Physical Arts rule number one; energy cannot be created or destroyed."

"Well, matter isn't supposed to be created either, but the Cauldron seems to be doing it," Jennifer reminded him, opening the door. A rather large niche had been added across from the fireplace, and there sat the Cauldron filled with bubbling porridge, even though no flames were under it.

"Actually, I doubt it truly is matter in a classic sense; rather it is magical energy manipulated to retain some of the properties of matter to provide a vessel for its spell, sustenance, in this case. That also explains why it's so easy to manipulate into potions, for potions truly are just physical vessels for spells, maintaining the spells integrity through its natural properties," Severus pointed out, sitting down next to the Cauldron. "The source of power is the spell, and the energy came from that the spell's caster, plus a self-sustaining element, probably earth in this case, although how he could have possibly managed the endless effect, I have no idea."

"We've forgotten so much about the Ancient ways," Jennifer sighed. "How can we ever find a cure when we don't even really understand the patient?"

"This is all my fault," a soft voice said from behind them. Jennifer turned to see the ghost of Icarus Ravenclaw hovering near the door, looking even more somber than usual. "In my haste to destroy all that I loved, I did not even think of the consequences of not having named an apprentice."

"You did what you thought you had to do," Severus said seriously, not looking up. Jennifer didn't answer.

She had never understood why her husband so willingly supported the ghost for his actions, killing himself and his family in hopes to stop there ever being an heir of Slytherin. He had failed miserably, for his missing half-brother had survived to carry on the line, and Icarus' actions had condemned him forever. Jennifer couldn't help but think he got what he deserved. Severus, on the other hand, was strangely supportive. Jennifer supposed it probably had a lot to do with Severus' turbulent past and the things he had witnessed under the hand of the very man Icarus was trying to stop. In a way the two were a lot alike, although Jennifer was quite certain that Severus would never put his family on the line because of a vision of the future like the ghost had.

"The other three and I will do everything in our power to help if you need us," Icarus said softly, turning around. "Welcome back," he added as he disappeared through the wall.

"Is it just me, or did it sound like he expected us personally to try and do something?" Jennifer said, gazing at the wall with slight irritation.

"Are you going to try to tell me that you're not planning to try?" Severus asked. Jennifer gazed at him and didn't say anything, knowing full well he knew her better than to think otherwise.

* * *

Corey and Essie pushed their carts toward the platform, following the brisk pace of their Aunt Rebecca who was looking around nervously at all the people to make sure they weren't watching. She yelled for Essie to hurry up for the third time as the girl stopped to check on her new cat familiar to make sure she was comfortable in her cage. Queenie looked back at her with apparent disinterest.

"At least you got to spend the money you earned over the summer," Corey sighed, nodding at the cat. "Mom made me start a bank account and put all my money in the bank."

"I didn't earn thirty-five galleons, either. I'm lucky to have earned thirty-five sickles," Essie said dourly.

"You didn't have to work five days a week though, and let me tell you those goblins are slave drivers!" Corey said before Aunt Rebecca stopped in horror and hushed them.

"You know better than to talk about such things in public! That'll do, now don't embarrass me!" Rebecca said, finally getting to the right platform, looking around nervously as she gestured them to go on.

"As if anyone ever pays attention," Corey said with exasperation, giving his cart a good shove and running towards the pillar. He pushed his way through and smiled when he finally saw the train sitting at the station. A moment later Essie appeared, the same joyous glow on her face that he had.

"If someone told me three years ago that I'd be looking forward to going off to school, I'd have thought they were balmy," Essie said. "But it sure beats sheering sheep!"

"I say, what's taking Aunt Rebecca so long? She usually can't get past that thing fast enough," Corey said, suddenly worried.

"Do you think she's having trouble getting in?" Essie asked.

"Wait here with our stuff. I'll go check on her real quick," Corey said, heading back up the platform.

That was when Corey returned to find his aunt living one of her own nightmares, for she was completely surround by excited Muggles, including one of the conductors, standing in front of her with his hands on his hips.

"Now look, I know what you say, but I saw what I saw. Two kids disappearing in thin air right near that pillar and you standin' behind them. You had to 've seen somethin'.

"Children? Disappearing in thin air? Have you all gone mad?" Rebecca said, but sounding quite nervous. "I haven't the time for this nonsense! I do have to catch a train, you know."

"But we saw it," said another Muggle standing beside, and several others nodded. "Surely you can't have been blind to that!"

"Look! There's that boy again!" One of them pointed out. Rebecca turned in surprise, looking frightfully worried.

"Aunt Rebecca? Are you coming? We're supposed to be over here at platform ten, not nine," Corey said.

"Listen here, young man, how did you disappear like that? And where is your cart?" The conductor asked.

"I unloaded my things on the train over there of course," he said, pointing back at platform ten again. 'I suppose I did run into the crowd, didn't I? I'm sorry Aunt Rebecca."

"Never mind that now, we best be off," Rebecca said quickly, somehow managing to work her way out of the crowd to get to Corey, putting an arm around him and making a play at walking behind the pillar to the other platform.

"Excuse me! Coming through! Scheduled Maintenance!" said a familiar voice behind them. Corey looked around to see Arnie Peasegood wearing a construction hat and coveralls and carrying large cones, which he set down at the feet of the crowd that had gathered. "Excuse me, sorry, have to fix some of the bricks here before someone gets hurt. Sorry for the inconvenience," he added, stringing up the caution lines.

"Here, son, come along now." Corey looked up to see another man in coveralls with his hand held out to him. "Don't worry, ma'am, we'll make sure he gets on the platform without any more incidents."

"Well, I'd like to talk to someone about _this_ incident, if you don't mind," Rebecca said, following them to the other side of the pillar. "I was told that no one would notice, and yet here I am…"

"Mrs. Hunt?" Arthur, who was standing nearby in a plain brown suit, stepped out of the crowd with a smile. "My name is Arthur Weasley, I'll be happy to do what I can to explain. That is, after we make sure everyone who needs to get on the train gets on the train," he smiled, nodding to Corey to follow the other man.

The man looked around as Arnie worked to put up some partition slats, smiling and waving at everyone who stopped to stare. Suddenly he shoved Corey forward insistently and Corey stepped back to the other side and back onto the platform just as the train blew the first whistle.

"There you are! What happened? I was so worried," Essie said.

"I'll tell you when we get on the train," Corey said, pushing his cart quickly over to baggage, hurriedly getting their bags in order. At last the two of them hopped on the train, peering in the compartments.

"Corey!" Looking up, Corey saw Doug standing in one of the doors waving them over with a grin, and the two went over to meet him, greeting him warmly. "There you are! I was afraid you'd miss the train!"

"I nearly did," Corey admitted, following him in the door.

Doug Brim was one of Corey's best friends; a thin, good-looking boy with dusty brown hair. Apparently he had a growth spurt over the summer, now several inches taller than Corey, and nearly even with the other boy in the compartment, a dark-haired Ravenclaw named Taylor Brittle. As always Taylor had his nose in a book, his thin glasses sliding down his nose as he read excerpts to his girlfriend, Danny Nelson, who waved at them with a smile. She had dark brown hair as well, and engaging violet eyes, but no one ever dared trying to steal her from Taylor. The Slytherin girl had quite made her mind up about the shy, quiet boy, and rather liked being with someone who needed her instead of seeing her as competition. For in every way, Danny was a competitor; top student in her class, Quidditch and Sparring (although Corey privately knew he could outmatch her in sparring if he had been allowed to participate).

But strangely enough, the two Gryffindors, Ravenclaw, Slytherin and Hufflepuff had always gotten along quite well together, even though Essie's two year age difference usually kept her from spending as much time as she would have liked with the others.

"You wouldn't believe what I just went through on the platform! Apparently everyone saw us go on the platform, and they decided to question Aunt Rebecca about it," Corey said, Essie's eyes going wide. "If the Ministry hadn't shown up to get me and the last few students on, I don't think we would have managed to get on at all."

"Was Aunt Rebecca very mad?" Essie asked.

"Yeah, a bit, but the Minister of Magic was there, and I think he's taking care of it. She was more mad at them than us."

"Well it's not like it's their fault. I wonder why all the sudden they happened to notice you going in?" Doug wondered. Corey shrugged.

"I don't know, but I think I'd better tell my parents about it when we get there. Speaking of which, is your uncle still trying to get an injunction on the Beard Wand, Danny?" Corey asked.

"Yes, he wants it removed for being a public endangerment," Danny said. "You know he didn't even get mad at me that day for trying to help you. I don't know if he just didn't notice or if he was too mad at the Wand to remember it."

"Good, I'm glad you didn't get in trouble for it. I didn't either, really, although I might as well have with the talk I received afterwards about what I'm allowed to say or not say around adults," Corey rolled his eyes.

"Oh that lecture, yes, I hear it from time to time myself. What did you say to him, anyhow?" Doug asked.

"Nothing much, really! But it was fun seeing Dad pop off at him like that. Er, no offense meant, Danny."

"I'm just glad no one really got hurt," Danny said, getting out some change for the trolley. "What good does a restraining order do when they all seem to end up in the same place anyhow?"

"Do you think Queenie's going to be all right in the baggage car?" Essie asked.

"Course, Essie, I always put Cheshire back there, she'll be fine. You fuss way too much over that cat," Corey said.

"Well I've never had a familiar before. She so much smarter than the cats I've had in the past," Essie said.

"You have a familiar too, now?" Doug said. "Boy, I wish my parents would give in and get me one. But they said they won't let me until I prove I'm more responsible. I'm fifteen, what are they going to do, wait until I'm twenty?"

"Your sister's had one long as I can remember. How come you haven't?" Corey asked.

"My last one ran away," Doug explained, sounding a bit grieved.

"It takes an awful lot to get a familiar to run away," Taylor said. "Maybe you should have paid more attention to it and less to the girls."

"Yes, but girls are a lot more interesting," Doug said.

"Maybe you should get a girl as a familiar then," Corey suggested.

"Please, don't encourage him," Danny smirked.

Corey was glad when they finally got to the station, stepping off the train to see Sagittari calling out to the first years. As odd as everything seemed to be in the outside world, everything at Hogwarts seemed to be as it should be. The warm cheerful lights of the castle greeted the students as they passed through the gates and up the stairs, and Corey in that moment could truly understand why his parents were so dedicated to their work. Not that he ever wanted either of their jobs, Corey grinned thoughtfully to himself. He wasn't quite sure what job he did want now…although an alchemy field seemed the obvious choice. Still, he had years ahead of him to think of that, and he decided right now to just try and enjoy being back with his friends.

As he and Doug approached the Gryffindor table, Professor McGonagall, who had been walking down the aisle towards the doors, suddenly stopped them.

"Would you mind staying a bit after the ceremony? I just need to speak with you a moment and get your side of what happened this afternoon," she asked Corey. "And before you ask, no you're not in any trouble. As hard as it is to believe, I don't think even _you_ could be capable of that level of mischief," she assured him, continuing to go to her place beside the door.

"I don't think she has much faith in your abilities, does she?" Doug told Corey as they sat down. Corey rewarded him with a dirty look.

He then glanced up at the tables to see his Mom trying to get a view of him, smiling when she saw him look up. Severus was too busy talking to her about something to notice right away, nodding to him quickly before turning back to the conversation. A few minutes later Dumbledore came in, and all the professors stood and greeted him as he took his place. Soon their attention turned to the door as they took their places and McGonagall went to bring in the first years. Corey looked them over, wondering which ones would be their new house mates as they all nervously passed by the tables. It was then that everyone turned to the Sorting Hat, which McGonagall brought out and set upon the stool.

"_It was Gryffindor who chose me to be_

_The conveyor of your destinies_

_But long before the school was formed_

_A great wizard of mixed blood was born_

_The father of modern magic was he,_

_And his blood ran deep in founders three;_

_Slytherin who those of guile and ambition did seek,_

_Those of courage and honor Gryffindor did bespeak,_

_And Hufflepuff who cared for those dutiful and true,_

_Shared blood with the wizard we owe so much to._

_Only the true heir of Ravenclaw, pure and wise,_

_Has none because of a son's chosen demise._

_But all who follow her will surely be,_

_And thus starts a new page of history._

_So heed this well before you begin,_

_No matter which house you are put in,_

_That all houses are now a part of the house of Merlin."_

Jennifer stared at the Hat, trying to figure out what it meant, a terrible chill creeping up her spine. It wasn't until Dumbledore and Severus' eyes turned on her in the shocked silence that followed that it finally occurred to her. The Hat was talking about Jennifer.


	5. The EverPresent Past and Future

Chapter Five

The Ever-Present Past and Future

Hermione Weasley was waiting for Jennifer when she came into the staff room at lunch the next day. Jennifer came in with a couple of books in hand, grabbing a glass off the table, which filled as she walked and sat down next to Hermione and Rolanda with a sigh.

"Beginning of the year reviews are so dull, even if it is good to see all my students again," Jennifer said. "I'll be so glad to get a first year class tomorrow so I can actually teach something."

"You know, your family history is positively fascinating," Hermione said, earning a surprised look from Jennifer. "I hope you don't mind. I had conference this morning and went downtown and did some digging at the Archives."

"How did you get past the goblin without a blood test?" Jennifer asked, looking slightly annoyed.

"Birth, Death, and Marriage records are public, and there was a good record of both Craws and Ravenclaws in the school as well because of their histories, so I was able to piece together a rudimentary family line," Hermione explained. "Well, that and I also asked Francis Pyther who he could recall last night, and that got me a six hundred year head start."

"All right, Hermione, why exactly are you so interested in my genealogy?"

"After what the Hat said last night?" Hermione said. "I heard Sirius tell Harry that for some reason the Fomorians didn't 'smell' you, but could all of the others. The whole reason is that you don't have a single drop of Merlin blood in your veins. Do you know how rare that would have to be from someone with fifty generations of pureblood marriages behind them? At any point, any one of them could have married someone with a touch of it. It is probably just as rare, if not more rare, than someone like Anna who has all four bloodlines."

"I know I'm probably going to regret asking this, but, so what?" Jennifer said bluntly. "The Craws were picky about who they married, down to my father's generation. As for the Ravenclaws and Corsivas, I suppose it was just random luck of selection. It's not like I have any weird powers or mutated magic or anything."

"I can't believe it's all random luck, but I'm not sure what it is," Hermione admitted. "And you're not as normal as all that, you have phenomenal control over Dark Magic, and you're a Truth Seeker."

"There's nothing weird about being a Truth Seeker," Jennifer said defensively. "And the dark magic was all from forced training with my father."

"Jennifer, if it wasn't significant, then why did the Hat bring it up?" Hermione sighed at her.

"Only to say that now all the house heirs have Merlin blood in them, and that's what's significant in some way. I just happen to be the last Ravenclaw in line to have none."

"Yes, the last Ravenclaw and the last Craw. Don't you think that at least is significant?" Hermione asked.

"All right Hermione," Jennifer sighed. "Assuming you're right and these coincidences have some significance in the cosmic stream of things, what's the significance?"

"I'm not quite sure yet," Hermione mused over her notes.

"I think I'm going to get ready for my next class," Jennifer decided.

Just as she got up Severus came in, looking at her thoughtfully.

"Not eating?" he frowned.

"I was going to grab a sandwich in my office," Jennifer said.

"Very well, I believe I'll join you, then," Severus said nodding to Hermione who watched them leave thoughtfully. Shaking her head, Hermione went back to her notes as they started down the hall. "Is it just me or does she seem into something again?"

"Into something, and apparently it's me," Jennifer said irritably. "Ever since last night, all the staff have been giving me the oddest looks. Sibyl asked me to the tower for dinner and I haven't thought of a way to get out of it yet, and Hermione is going over my family genealogy. At least the students don't seem to have caught the reference."

"No, but I did have quite a few Slytherin students come to me wanting to know about Salazar's connections to Merlin, not that I could truly tell them much. And I also heard Miss Brim saying she found it rather disturbing that it meant Voldemort also had Merlin blood."

"Well, blood isn't everything, when something goes bad, it goes bad," Jennifer said. Severus looked at her in complete surprise.

"Whatever happened to respecting family regardless of what they've done?" Severus inquired as they headed down the stair.

"Yes, but that's different, it's not like I have any control over what they did personally, any more than Merlin could have any control of someone born a couple thousand years later turns out." Jennifer said. Severus got a curious feeling that he couldn't quite explain, remaining silent until they stepped into her office.

"Still, isn't that what Salazar himself attempted to do?" Severus finally answered, shutting the door behind them. "He used Icarus Ravenclaw's ability to see in all times at once to find someone he thought might be able to continue his work, and set events in motion to attempt to persuade Voldemort to do so when the time came. The Chamber of Secrets was meant in large part to be used exactly for that purpose. Merlin himself saw all times at once, so it was said; so who is to say that he didn't do something similar, putting events into motion hoping to bring something about at a predetermined point in the future?"

"Severus, you are really starting to scare me with this philosophical stint you've been on lately," Jennifer chuckled, grabbing a sandwich off her plate. "Even if he was somehow trying to cause certain things to happen…and I daresay it'd explain the Sentinels and his four children, granted…I seriously doubt that any of us had anything to do with any master plan of his. Well, maybe Anna," Jennifer amended thoughtfully. "But certainly not the rest of us. Definitely not me, considering apparently I'm not even in the bloodline." Severus didn't answer, choosing instead to turn his attention back towards Tome he was reading. Neither of them noticed the presence of Icarus, who had floated in when he heard his name, listening for a while before fading back into the wall.

* * *

Essie's first afternoon class was Defense, and it was not one she was looking forward to when she found out she had to take it with Slytherin again this year. Victor Greisley always teased her mercilessly. Even though Essie knew she shouldn't let it get to her, it always did, and she found herself wishing she could just hide or run away. Her best friend Angela Ames helped keep her spirits up, always ready to come to the more sensitive girl's rescue. It had puzzled Angie too; Essie was such a pretty girl, although quiet, while Angela was hardly anything of the sort, slightly overweight with thick glasses and a knack at being a little too loud when she wanted to be heard. But she was, next to Essie's brother, Essie's greatest defender.

Essie quickly found a seat as far forward as she could, hoping for a change that Snape wouldn't reassign them. Her best shot in any class was staying as close to the front as possible, especially in any class her brother's adopted parents were teaching. And as it happened it put her right next to Angie, who she hardly ever got to sit with.

As it turned out, Professor Snape wasn't interested in seating arrangements when he first stormed into the classroom, immediately passing out a sheet to everyone and glaring at anyone who dared turned their eyes away from him for a second.

"This year we will again be studying Defense against Dark Creatures, although you'll find that these beasts are a bit nastier. Some of them are in a category of their own. I trust you'll all do better than that disappointing attempt I got from all of you last year. In fact, I'm surprised not to find any missing students in here after last year's pathetic display, taken out by something or another…Willowby, what are you doing up here? W's are in the back," Snape squinted at her.

"Uh, I had trouble seeing, sir," Essie said meekly.

"Then get the hospital wing after class and see Madame Pomfrey about glasses," he snapped but continued on, not moving her. Essie and Angela risked an exchange of nervous smiles. Victor Greisley, sitting a row behind them and to the left, rolled his eyes at them.

"As I was saying, we are going to start out with a test on last year's material. I don't believe in reviews, you either know it or you don't. You'll also find on the bottom some situational questions based on creatures we haven't discussed yet. You are to attempt to come up with a way to solve those problems based on the spell knowledge you already have. And then," he added, heading up to the class and turning to scowl at them, "I will tell you if you lived or died. For every death accumulated, you will also lose the corresponding number of points."

"But what if we live, sir?" Angela asked, raising her hand. Snape shot her a dirty look.

"Then you get to live, and learn to appreciate the value of that for its own sake," he snapped back at her. "And five points off Hufflepuff for speaking out of line. You'll have these on every test from now on so I trust you learn how to deal with them. Begin."

Essie sighed softly turning to her paper. First day of class and already she had a test, and in one of her worst subjects. She would have been a lot happier if it had been Transfiguration or Charms, she could at least get a solid passing mark in those. This one she had barely squeaked by on last year, as much as she had tried. The idea of facing any of the creatures mentioned in the class positively terrified her. And why wasn't there ever an option to turn tail and run in any of the multiple-choice questions?

After they had finished they were immediately given a chapter to read, and told to be ready for a demonstration on Bogwights next week. Bogwights…Essie blanched. From the picture and the description she had hoped to never meet one, and yet they're going to have a demo in class? Essie began to wonder if maybe she wouldn't be feeling a little ill before then…no, she mused. Madame Pomfrey was too smart to not spot a student shamming. Maybe next time she would sit in the back of the class.

It was as they were leaving and heading down the hall that Victor Greisley stepped in front of them blocking their way to their next class.

"Where are you going? I could have sworn Snape told you to go to the hospital wing after class."

"Oh, bugger off, Greisley, we have to get to the North Tower. We don't have time to play games with you," Angela snapped, taking a step to the side. Victor quickly matched it.

"For Divination? That crackpot course? That's not even real magic! But then, Willowby here never was any good at real magic, was she?" he said, grinning nastily at Essie.

"Don't you have a class somewhere?" Angela asked, trying to shove him out of the way. Essie stopped her.

"Really, it's not worth getting in trouble over," Essie protested.

"You're the one who's going to get in trouble if you don't head to the hospital wing. Or do you think you're above the rules because of your hotshot brother getting adopted? And how come _you _didn't get adopted too? What's the matter, didn't live up to Snape standards?" Greisley asked, walking backwards in front of them.

"You don't understand anything, do you?" Essie said, losing her temper. "You don't know what it's like to lose your entire family to someone who they meant nothing to?"

"Course not, my family are purebloods, they wouldn't have been in the line of fire," Greisley said finally stepping aside, looking down at them coolly.

"I didn't need to be adopted, my aunt took me in, and that might not be good enough for you, but it's plenty good enough for me. At least I got to see them over the summer. I heard you got shipped off to camp," Essie said.

"You tell him, Essie. Some people should learn to mind their own business," Angela said, glaring at him as they turned down another corridor.

"At least I'm in no danger of flunking out. Nearly all your finals were at the bottom of the chart last year," Victor said, standing near where they turned the corner, "and I'm still telling Snape about the glasses. And if you don't get in trouble for it, I've every intention of telling Professor Sprout you're disobeying a professor's orders too."

"Maybe I should go up to the hospital wing after all," Essie said quietly.

"You'll be late for your first Divination class," Angela pointed out. "I'll take you over there myself before we go to dinner."

"He is right about one thing. I'm not the brightest apple in the barrel," Essie sighed.

"That's sheer nonsense, Essie! So what if you don't do so well in Defense. You're quicker than I am in Transfiguration class, and that's the truth. Everyone's got their bad areas. I thought I'd never get through my Potions final last year," Angela said.

"If it wasn't for my brother tutoring me in it, I wouldn't have," Essie said glumly.

"If you ask me, I think all you really need is a good shot of self confidence," Angela said. "I've seen how much you fidget when you take a test. You need to learn to relax."

"But I'm so afraid I'm going to miss something…"

"See, that's just what I mean, Essie, that's the whole problem," Angela said.

"Besides, when I do make a decent mark at Defense, Greisley says Snape's just being easy on me."

"If Snape's being easy on anyone, it's Greisley," Angela said bluntly. "It certainly isn't on us."

Essie sighed and followed Angela as she dashed up the stairs, privately still angry that he had even brought up her parents like that at all. How could he understand? How could anyone? As they hurried in they found the rest of the class already assembled and Madame Trelawney staring intently at her pocket watch.

"There, you see, what did I tell you? Precisely two minutes late, just as I suspected," she said as a flowing curtain covered the doorway.

"You must have a lot of students who've come here from the Defense rooms who end up late, don't you?" Angela asked, but Trelawney ignored her.

"Now, now, everyone find a seat and try to relax now that all of the outside disturbances have now ceased," the professor informed them.

Essie hurriedly sat in the curious armchair in front of her circular table, feeling like she was in a cramped Gypsy tearoom. Hazy smoke filled the air, trapped in by the curtains on the windows and door, and the Professor herself reminded Essie of someone she might have seen in a carnival.

"As I had been saying before we were interrupted, not everyone here may be in tune with the Gift, but we will do what we can to bring out the Inner Eye in those of you sharing the responsibility and burden that comes with it," she said, looking off in the distance with a strained look on her face. Essie was aware of some of the boys in class rolling their eyes. "You dear, you're the Willowby girl, aren't you?" she said, turning around to Essie. "I see you are going to try and use your Crystal Ball to find someone before I've instructed you how to, I see," she tsks. "We won't teach _that_ until next term. You'll have only yourself to blame for what happens next. And do tell your brother I look very forward to seeing him in his seventh year. He's a hidden talent, I can feel it," she said, moving on.

"I thought you said your brother wouldn't be caught dead in this class?" Angela whispered. Essie shrugged at her.

"That's what he told me."

"Aelfred dear! I'm so terribly sorry but you are going to break your wrist during your first Quidditch practice. Do try and remember to do your Divination homework before then, it'll take you a week to recover. And Lisa, I think I would write home if I were you," Trelawney added darkly. Lisa looked around nervously as everyone stared at her. "Get out some teacups now and turn to the first chapter while I embrace the spiritual essences before we begin our first reading." Essie and Angela looked at each other with weak smiles, not quite sure yet if they were going to like their new subject or not.

* * *

Seeing a guest up to Dumbledore's study wasn't really how Jennifer wanted to spend her first conference, especially when it was the first time since she began working at Hogwarts that Jennifer had a conference at the same time Severus had. But seeing guests up had always been Jennifer's duty, being the only publicly known Truth Seeker in the school, and she was a tad curious about the one who was visiting now, a woman she had only met briefly and only because of her relationship to her sister-in-law.

"Welcome to Hogwarts Madame…"

"Viviane," the tall woman said, a slight smile playing on her alabaster face. "Just Viviane. And you're the Craw girl, Severus' wife," she said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Yes, Professor Jennifer Craw," Jennifer smiled at her. What in the world was wrong? She saw absolutely nothing in the woman's face. "Right this way."

As she led the woman through the hall and up the stairs, she couldn't help but notice that quite a number of the ghosts, all of them in fact, had paused their normal wanderings to stare at them. Even the paintings on the stairwell seemed even more aware of them than usual, and many of them paused to bow and curtsy deeply as they passed. But Viviane herself seemed unaware of it, intent only on getting there, and not gazing around the castle like every other guest Jennifer had escorted up had. Instead, she was eerily serene, and Jennifer for one was glad when they finally got up to the spiral stairs and into Dumbledore's study.

"Welcome, Viviane. Please make yourself comfortable," Dumbledore greeted, standing and gesturing to the chairs.

"Comfort is rather overestimated, but thank you," Viviane said, glancing at Jennifer as she closed the door behind them. "Is she staying?"

"If she wants," Dumbledore said. "I daresay she's earned the right to be here, don't you believe so?" he asked looking over his glasses. Apparently she was satisfied with that, for she looked back over to Dumbledore. "Now, what may we owe the honor of this visit?"

"My dear Albus, you can't possibly think I am blind to what you are doing," Viviane said, frowning at him. The frown was quite startling, reminding Jennifer of Severus chiding an unusually disobedient student. Jennifer had never seen anyone look at Dumbledore quite that way before. But Dumbledore didn't seem to be offended at all, only looked at her with a thin smile and an almost innocent gaze.

"And what is it exactly do you believe I am doing?" he asked.

"Do you deny that three of the items of the Seal of Callum rest in your possession and are even now looking for the fourth?" she asked in a demanding tone.

"Actually, I only have one of the items. The other two are in the hands of their rightful owners," Dumbledore said calmly. Viviane glanced over at Jennifer then back at Dumbledore.

"In name, perhaps. But they are all in this castle, and therefore all under your control."

"Viviane, if you believe I control everything in this castle, it only proves that you do not know Hogwarts well," Dumbledore said sounding slightly amused. "I may attempt to guide its direction, but every individual within makes their own choices and take their own paths. And that is as it should be." It was Dumbledore's turn to sound condescending, and Viviane did not seem to be taking it as well as he took it from her. "But tell me, Viviane, what do you know about the sudden breach in magic that's occurring?" The woman looked quite surprised, laughing slightly.

"Albus, if you're having a problem with magic, I suggest you look no further than your own front door. Your crisis here does not concern me."

"Are you sure?" Albus said. "After all, if our world is exposed, so is yours."

"I can protect my own interests, Albus. Run your own world into the ground, but I will not let you ruin mine. Mark my words, you won't be able to find the Lia Fal without my help," she said, looking defiant. "We will do this my way, Albus. You'll know where to find me, once you've made up your mind," she added. She turned and the doors opened without even a gesture, shutting quickly behind her.

"Should I follow her?" Jennifer asked.

"No," Albus said sharply, then his tone gentled. "No, that won't be necessary, Professor. She's obviously not interested enough in us to cause us any trouble," he added, a slightly amused glint appearing in his otherwise serious expression. "But tell me, Professor. What is your opinion on our latest guest?"

"Sir, I…honestly, I couldn't read her at all," Jennifer admitted, glancing at the door.

"You have other devices of observation besides your Truth Seeking, Professor. You've proven that often enough in the past."

"Well, I'm not sure I followed the whole conversation. She's worried about us getting all four parts of the Seal? Why?" Jennifer asked.

"I believe she suspects that I'm actually going to use it," Dumbledore said, sitting back down thoughtfully.

"To open the gate?" Jennifer asked. Dumbledore nodded and looked up at her, watching her carefully. "And are we, sir?"

"Can you think of any reason why we should?" he asked seriously. Jennifer stepped forward, leaning on her favorite chair. The opening of a gate to the Fae world…after so many years…its closing was no accident. Who were they to say it was time to open it? "Yes, who indeed," Dumbledore agreed quietly with her thoughts.

"Sir, before now, I may have thought we would consider it for the balances' sake…if magic is failing, then we wouldn't have anything to lose, we'd have to try it," Jennifer said fervently. "But this Viviane seems to think that the problem with the spells is something else entirely. If she's right, I'd say it'd be the last thing I'd want to do."

"Yes, Professor, I tend to agree with you," Dumbledore said with a nod. "And I also thought her certainty that the magic problem we're having wasn't related very interesting…very interesting indeed."


	6. Severus and the Bogwight

Chapter Six

Severus and the Bogwight

It was just before dinner that night when Severus walked into Jennifer's office as she was putting away the last of her paperwork.

"I need to borrow some nymph-wing powder and dried rabbit-fern toes," Severus said, heading over to her ingredient shelves with a frown. "Didn't I just organize these shelves for you a week ago?"

"I had to fill the hospital wing's order since then," Jennifer explained. "Making Potent Water?"

"Yes, although I could have sworn I had two phials left, that's why I didn't bother bringing the powder," he scowled. "You wouldn't know what happened to the other phial, do you?"

"Perhaps you miscounted," Jennifer suggested, quickly trying to make herself look busy.

"Nonsense. And I know we haven't been through two full phials since last Wednesday," Severus said, finally finding the ingredients he needed.

"Not for lack of trying," Jennifer said coyly, earning a smirk from her husband. "Are we going to dinner or not?"

"Well, I do have tests to mark. We could just skip the crowds and eat upstairs," he suggested as Jennifer headed for the door, keeping her from opening it.

"Severus, what's your Aunt Viv's last name?" Jennifer said. Severus' expression turned to one of bewilderment, wondering at her choice of subject.

"I hardly know her, I don't know. Ask Anna. Why in the world are you bringing that up now?" Severus asked.

"That's who was visiting Dumbledore today. She seemed awfully interested in the Callum's Seal," Jennifer said. Severus squinted slightly as Jennifer opened the door, following closely behind her. "It was almost as if she had something personal at stake. She didn't seem to care about the magic failing at all. As if it were no consequence! And I couldn't read her. Who is she, Severus?" But it was fairly obvious from the expression he gave back to Jennifer that he had no more idea than she did.

* * *

After a busy weekend watching Angela at Quidditch tryouts and then consoling her afterwards, Essie was glad to get back to classes again and her favorite subjects (with her favorite teachers.) This year they were getting into a lot more complex Transfigurations too, and Essie was intent on getting a jump on her best classes, perhaps even make better than average marks this year.

But before she knew it, Wednesday rolled around, and reluctantly found herself shuffling towards Defense Class. Angela watched her as she walked down the hall reading the first chapter over again, certain that they were going to have another test.

"You're fretting for no reason," Angela finally sighed as they neared. "We're having a demonstration today. He's not going to be wasting time with a test."

"Lovely. Thanks for reminding me. He always calls me for things like that," Essie protested.

"I doubt he's going to call anyone up on a Bogwight. Besides, if you think he's calling you out too much, why don't you talk to him? He is your brother's 'Dad' after all," Angela pointed out.

"That's just another reason why I can't do a thing about it," Essie sighed, walking into the class. Essie immediately headed for the back, taking an empty seat near Mick Young. Well, he wasn't very friendly but at least he was big, Essie mused, just in case anything went wrong. She opened her books and notes and waited nervously. In the corner of the room next to the Professor's desk was a very large box with chains about it. For the first time since she got to Hogwarts, Essie wished she were on the Slytherin side of the room.

Finally Snape came out of his office with a stack of papers in his hand, the class hushing immediately as he appeared.

"The first casualty list is in, and you'll find the totals rather alarming I think," Snape said, glancing at the class with a stern look on his face. "Slytherin has accrued five deaths to due to unfortunate choices, and thanks to their own incompetence, Hufflepuff has lost fourteen. One of you somehow managed to die twice," he added, his eyes flickering to the front desk. Noticing no one sitting there his hands went to his hips, looking around to where Essie was shrinking behind her desk.

"Miss Willowby, what are you doing lurking in the back? I thought you told me you needed to be up front," he snapped.

"Um, Madame Pomfrey said I didn't need glasses," Essie explained.

"Never mind that, get up here where _I _can see you clearly. Anyone talented enough to die twice on one test needs someone to keep an eye on them," Snape snapped. "Well, don't just sit there, do as you're told!"

Essie scrambled to pick her books up and hurried to the front, the Slytherin students sniggering at her as she passed by them. Snape shook his sit head and thrust his test at her and she took it, slowly sitting back down as he passed out the rest of the tests. Angela risked a grin when Snape turned his back. After all, at least it meant they could together. Of course, it also meant they were the closest students to the gently rocking box as well.

"Now," Snape said as he flung back the last test and strode back over to the desk, taking out his wand. "Greisley, what do you know about Bogwights?"

"Bogwights are undead that live in the swamps, made up of swamp mud and the corpses of the dead. They prey on those that wander in the swamps and get lost, draining all their energy with their hands until their victims become Bogwights as well."

"And what's their main disadvantage?"

"They lose everything that they ever were before and become completely mindless, acting only on instinct. They also depend on water to keep themselves whole."

"Very good, ten points Slytherin," Severus said, putting on gloves. "They also must make contact with the skin to drain you, so as long as you are aware of its presence, you can usually keep your distance. They prey on individuals, and don't attack groups unless threatened, and usually only in darkness. As you can see, this particular Bogwight is at a severe disadvantage already and should be relatively easy to handle, but you will be more alert of them if you see first hand what they look like. So pay attention!" he said, loud enough some of them jumped. "And whatever you do, don't go forward of the desk line, I do have some protects up and if you cross it you'll prove to be just as mindless as the creature we'll be looking at today," he added, taking a stance across the room.

As Snape unlocked the large box with a spell and the crate opened, Essie's face drained of all color, having never really seen anything so scary in her life. So much mud encompassed the wight that it was hard to tell there had ever been any semblance of a person there at all, and it stank horribly, like nothing she had ever smelled before. It made a terrifying rasping noise as it came out, wary of the light, its form sinking to resemble a large moving puddle.

"As you can see, it attempts to blend into the swamps, only taking form just before it strikes…an unknowing victim probably won't even know what hit them until it's too late," Snape said, circling carefully as the thing moved slightly. "Let's see if I can trigger a response before I dispose of the thing."

"What, just like that, you're going to kill it?" Angela asked.

"Bogwights are already dead, you idiot," Greisley snapped. "It'll just release the spirit that gave life to it."

"Quiet! I didn't give anyone permission to talk!" Snape barked at them. The noise must have startled the wight, for it drew itself up in a bipedal form, lurching towards Severus with its arms outstretched. But Snape had been watching its movements and immediately turned his wand on it.

"_Assiccarus belapalus!" _ Snape intoned, his gaze intent on his intended prey as he thrust the wand in its direction.

Nothing happened.

Surprise came over Snape's face as he glanced at his wand then tried again to no avail, and the creature suddenly stretched his muddy arms around him as several of the girls in class began to scream.

"Somebody do something!" Essie begged as he tried to fight it off, losing hold of his wand. A bright white glow surged around him from apparently nowhere as several of the classmates took up their wands. Victory Greisley was the quickest, and using the professor's example he suddenly jumped on the table for a clearer view.

"_Assiccarus belapalus!" _ he called out and a blast of tiny particles seemed to burst forth from the wand. The Bogwight cried out in pain, its skin suddenly turned hard as the drying spell took effect and the entire thing slowly turned to dust, dropping into a pile on the floor. Everyone in the class froze in place, shocked, frightened and confused by what had just occurred.

Severus Snape slowly stood up, attempting quite forcefully to not look as shaken as he felt, brushing the dust away from him as if nothing had occurred. A moment later, Anna appeared in the doorway followed closely behind by Jennifer, who was desperately trying to figure out what happened.

"I think that was enough of a demonstration today," Snape said in a hollow voice. "Class dismissed. No homework."

It was at those last two words that made everyone realize just how wrong things were.

Essie felt terrible. She hadn't done a thing to help, just stood there and screamed for someone else to do something. What if he had been killed? Her brother would have lost the only other man he saw as a father; it would have ripped him apart. Not to mention she herself really sort of liked him when he was not around other students, like in the summer. She certainly didn't want to see him hurt. She was also aware as they began to leave that the other students thought it was extremely funny. Wasn't anyone else worried about what it might mean for a teacher to lose their power out of the blue like that?

Severus himself was fully aware of it. In fact his mind was exploding with possibilities of causes and possible repercussions of it as the students filed out, barely aware that his sister was standing in front of him talking at him.

"What were you thinking, bringing an undead in the school like that? Someone could have gotten killed! It was evil, couldn't you feel it?" Anna snapped.

"Anna, Bogwights are very common undead and an easy match, I've used them often myself in demos. Please stop yelling at him! Severus, what happened? Are you alright?" Jennifer asked.

"If you don't mind, why don't you both go back to your classes before they start to straggle away, I think I'm going to go see Poppy," he said irritated. Jennifer looked after him worriedly as he walked out the door. He'd never volunteered to go see Poppy before.

"Is Dumbledore in the school?" Anna asked, realizing the same thing.

"No, but I'm going to send him a note anyhow, I'm sure he'll want to hear about this," Jennifer said before heading back down to the Potion Lab.

Poppy Pomfrey shook her head at him just as Sagittari and Dumbledore came in together.

"Well, I've run every test I got, and as far as I can tell, there's nothing physically wrong with you," Poppy told him.

"Then explain this? _Wingardium leviosa!_" Severus said, pointing his wand at a water cup. Nothing happened. He scowled again, folding his arms.

"Did you try another wand?" Sagittari suggested.

"Yes, he tried mine," Poppy admitted with a sigh. "Nothing."

"Have you tried any strenuous spells lately?" Sagittari asked. Dumbledore looked at him thoughtfully, knowing very well Sagittari meant the spells from the Tome.

"No, not in over a month," Severus said.

"Eaten anything new or unusual you might have built up an allergy to?"

"No. And before you ask I haven't eaten from the Cauldron since the first night we were back. I found I am not very fond of porridge," Severus muttered.

"What about potions, Severus?" Dumbledore asked gently.

"I haven't used anything but potions for our personal schedule in two weeks either. Not even a Subtle Slumber," he added, sitting back on the chair in annoyance.

"I should hope not," Poppy said, but turned back to her other patients when he gave her a dirty look.

"This is hardly a laughing matter. This could be the beginning of the end, you know. Soon all of us could be reduced to Muggledom," Severus said ominously.

"Now, Severus, let's not panic just quite yet," Dumbledore said in a quiet tone to encourage the others to keep their voices down. "I'm sure there's a very logical explanation behind this, and we will find it and get you back to normal as soon as possible," he assured him. "But until then, I suggest that perhaps you shouldn't have any more demonstrations for awhile." Severus glowered at him. "Jennifer has managed to live without using her spells most of the last three years, after all, I'm sure you will survive."

"She at least had a good reason to lose her magic, there is no reason here," Severus snapped.

"There is a reason, Severus," Dumbledore said firmly. "And I assure you it is _not_ the end of all magic. Now, I want you to take the rest of the night off to relax and rethink your teaching strategy, and I will do a little research to see if I can't come up with a viable solution."

"Sir, if there are no objections, perhaps it'd be prudent to ask Jennifer to run some tests on his potions and any lab ingredients that were used?" Sagittari suggested.

"Very well, Sagittari," Dumbledore nodded. "But soon as you can I want you to get back to the island, Poppy and I can take care of this."

"Yes, Professor."

"The island?" Severus repeated, looking between them. Dumbledore sighed then and sat beside him, his expression turning very serious.

"It seems that some of the events that are occurring here have extended out quite a ways. The Fomorians magic is also failing, and the island became quite visible for a while. Their city is also flooding, they have nowhere to go but to the surface. They refused to accept wizardry help, but have accepted the help of the giants. I am hoping, with Sagittari being a centaur and therefore a great symbol from their past, along with Hagrid, as a half giant, we will be able to breech this history gap of ours. You may have lost your magic, Severus, but your home and life aren't threatened. Or job, for that matter," Dumbledore added mischievously getting up.

"I understand, Professor. Do what you need to with what's going on. I'll manage somehow," Severus said, a lot more subdued.

"I'd expect all you'll need to do is talk to Jennifer about it. She's probably got a well of information on this subject," Dumbledore said with a wink. "And if she can survive as a near Muggle, you certainly can," he added.

"And what about the students? Surely we won't be able to keep that little episode quiet," Severus muttered again.

"Well, I believe you should probably do what you always do and tell them to mind their own business," Dumbledore suggested with a smile before heading out of the room.

* * *

Essie waited quietly by the staircase until Corey returned, shaking his head at her.

"Mom won't let me see him, but she says he's alright. They think it's just an allergy or something," Corey explained as they headed down to dinner.

"An allergy?" Essie repeated thoughtfully. "What a horrible thing to happen! I suppose that's just as bad as me swelling up like a balloon when I get stun by a bee."

"You see? Nothing to worry about. I'm sure all of this rubbish going around is nothing but that…rubbish."

"I just wish I could have thought of something to do," Essie sighed.

"I wish anybody but Victor Greisley could have thought of something else to do," Corey admitted.

"Tell me about it," Essie agreed.

"He's still giving you a hard time too, isn't he?"

"Oh, well, it's nothing I can't handle, really," Essie insisted. "He just, well, sometimes teases me about my marks is all."

"Then don't listen to him, he's nothing but a Slytherin anyhow," Corey insisted, stopping as they got to the doors of the Great Hall.

"Don't let Danny hear you say that," Essie said.

"Well Danny's different. Actually, Lisa and Liam aren't that bad either, I guess. I mean, they can be a pain but they're not all bad. And Greisley did help save Dad…" Corey said then shook himself. "But I want to know if he puts on you again, you hear me? Nobody bothers my sister and gets away with it."

"All right, Corey," Essie sighed as she went to sit next to Angela. But soon she caught a conversation going on down the table as Mick Young began to give an account of the entire episode, quite a number of the other students huddled around.

"Can you imagine? He was just floundering there. We were all for sure he was going to be turned into a wight. Half the Slytherins were already edging to the door," Mick was saying. "And then Greisley went and had to save him. And then he just told us to go with no homework or anything."

"That doesn't sound like Snape at all. I wish I could have seen it," Aelfred grinned.

"Oh, come on, Snape's not as bad as all of that, if he was Craw wouldn't have married him," Julie protested. "I hope he's all right."

"Yeah, we might get stuck with that loopy Madame Belle again," Mick grinned. "And I bet that's the last time Dumbledore lets him bring a dangerous creature in this school. We might have all been killed!"

"Snape wouldn't have brought in anything he thought we couldn't handle!" Essie suddenly snapped angrily.

"Oh, come on, Essie, we all know you got a soft spot for old sourpuss Snape but you saw what happened. Snape nearly ended up swallowed in mud," Mick said. "Not that hardly anyone would notice the difference." As the other students laughed, Essie got up and left, Angela's eyes following her with a frown.

Why was everyone being so cruel? He could have been killed! Everyone spoke about the Slytherin, but was her house any better really? She slipped into the bathroom to have a short cry, washing her face to make herself feel better. But just then she heard voices outside and listened through the door, not really wanting anyone to see her on her way back to the houserooms.

"It's true, I heard Chester Snitch talking about it, he was in the hospital wing for breaking his leg at broom practice," she heard Greisley say. "He's lost his touch, they said, magic totally gone. And if wasn't for me, he would have been gone. I wouldn't be surprised if they gave me a medal or something."

"What was really funny was all those Hufflepuffs. Did you see Willowby? I swear she was going to faint under the table again. She does it every time. Even that smart mouth Ames was ready to bolt."

"I still say you should have let the thing finish him off," said another voice that Essie suddenly realized was Amadeus Longbottom. "He's turned soft over the years. Oh, he's the same in class maybe, but how often do those Gryffindors get away with murder since he got married to Craw? Corey Willowby would have been expelled years ago if it wasn't for them having pity on him, and his sister wouldn't have made it into the school at all, would she Greisley?"

"She's at the bottom of nearly every class," Victor agreed. "Somebody ought to give that girl a hint and give her a subscription to Kwikspell or something."

"Somebody should just kick her out so she doesn't keep being a school embarrassment," Amadeus said. "No doubt about it, the school would be better off with neither of the Willowbys around."

Essie felt her throat tighten again, wishing she could just run away, go somewhere…anywhere. If only they would go away, and go plot somewhere else, but they kept talking, bringing up other students they'd love to see expelled. But Essie didn't want to stay there anymore. In fact, she didn't even feel like staying in the school anymore. If only there were some way to get out, somewhere to hide. If only she were invisible, or even be small enough to just creep away without anyone noticing she thought, gazing at the tiny space under the door. If only she was…

Suddenly as she stared at the door, she began to feel very strange indeed, her heart pounding faster and faster as the hole that she had been looking at grew bigger and bigger until finally it stopped growing at just the perfect height for her to wriggle through on her hands and knees. But wait, her hands and feet were touching the ground, but they didn't feel awkward at all. She twitched her whiskers as she contemplated that, sitting back on her hind legs and looking at herself.

That was when she realized she was a mouse.

Wonder overtook her, unsure of how she managed to do what she did, and yet still pretty sure she could repeat it if she had to. Perhaps she would be better off just staying a mouse forever, away from those hateful glances and words, no classes to fail or bullies to worry about. As she thought about those things she quickly scurried out, running very close to the wall to keep anyone from seeing her or stepping on her. Perhaps she did have the courage to run away after all.


	7. Learning to Make a Stand

Chapter Seven

Learning to Make a Stand

Perhaps if Essie had spent more time as a mouse she might of thought of traveling in the walls instead of along them, but as it was she followed them as she knew them, and somehow managed to keep from being seen by everyone but a few familiars who only looked at her curiously and paid her no mind at all. It wasn't until she got to the stairs leading outside that she realized she had a problem. It was going to take her quite a very long time to get down those stairs. She was just about to rethink her strategy and try to figure out another way around when a gentle hand reached down and picked her up. She nearly jumped from mere surprise but another hand came up and settled her, and she found herself looking into a pair of huge blue eyes behind a pair of thin-rimmed glasses.

"There there, don't be afraid, little one," Dumbledore said in a gentle tone. "You look like someone who's a little lost. Come along then, perhaps I can help you find your way back to where you belong," he said, lifting her up higher. It was then he slid her behind a fold of velvet material, and Essie realized that she was riding in the brim of Dumbledore's hat. This, she mused, wasn't exactly her idea of a good hiding spot. It was, however, a very interesting spot, risking a peek out every now and then to see where they were.

"Professor Dumbledore?" Essie heard footsteps hurrying up and realized at once it was Julie Brim, doing her Prefect patrols.

"Yes, Julie?"

"Professor Dumbledore, have you seen Essie Willowby, sir? I can't seem to find her, and she left dinner rather abruptly tonight, so I'm rather worried."

"Oh? Why did she leave dinner abruptly?" Dumbledore asked calmly.

"The other students were talking, well, about Defense class, and I suppose it must have upset her, because she took off. And Mattie said she thought she heard someone crying in the girls bathroom near the Great Hall earlier, but no one was there when I went to check and she hasn't come back to the houserooms yet."

"Thank you, Julie, I'll make sure she's in good hands," Dumbledore promised, heading up the stairs. The moment he stepped on the first one, the others began to move, and by the time Essie peeked her nose out again she realized they were on a different staircase entirely, going up in a spiral. At last he opened the doors and Essie couldn't help but careen her neck around in amazement, her head poking out quite a bit behind the rim of his hat as she gazed around at all the odds and ends, books and shelves of Dumbledore's study.

"I don't suppose you'd care for a bite to eat, or at least a nibble?" he asked, taking off his hat and sitting it on the desk. Not really seeing too much choice in the matter, Essie climbed out just as Dumbledore set down a teacup and the largest biscuit she had ever seen in front of her, helping himself to one as well. "Rather nice to have company for a change. It can get rather dull, you know, filling out paperwork, endorsing book orders and potion ingredient orders and such, not to mention trying to keep up with so many students, let alone the professors," he smiled softly, sipping his tea as the mouse lapped at hers thoughtfully.

"No, it's not always easy being Headmaster, but I daresay being a student probably isn't always a walk in a garden either with teachers and students alike all ready to criticize everything you do. I myself remember in my own youth, when I first came to this school. I happened to be, well, rather small of stature for my age, you know, and quite a number of students thought that made perfect material to take out their own frustrations on. Most of them didn't truly mean anything by it, not really; of course it took me several years to realize that on my own. But fortunately, I also had a wise teacher, who took me in his office one day after a rather grueling test I failed miserably at…oh yes, I failed a test on occasion, and I had been rather distracted that day, one of those days where everything that could possibly go wrong seemed to. Anyhow, he was the one that taught me that hiding or trying to ignore my problems didn't make them go away, as much as I wanted them to. Sooner or later I had to face them.

"Yes, well, that is, of course, easier said than done," he admitted, "especially if you were like me and made quite a habit of running, and with good reason…some of those other students were twice my size. But I began to realize that not running doesn't always mean you have to fight, and problems often have more than one solution. And, some of those solutions don't even work best for the same people. But I have found if you actually turn and try to solve them, eventually, perhaps with a few bumps along the way, you will find the solution that works best for you," he told the mouse with a nod. "In my case, I soon discovered that I had particular luck with light charm spells, and after being backed into a corner and having no other options, a few well-placed Stupefications seemed to clear up the problem completely," he smiled, taking another sip of tea.

He glanced up thoughtfully towards the door then, and looking at the mouse, he made a quick decision and opened the top drawer, scooping up the mouse and plopping her on top of a stack of Wizard Weekly beside a crystal candy dish, handing the mouse a piece of sherbert lemon and closing the drawer.

Essie began to panic, wondering how exactly she was going to get out of this mess now, when she heard a swift knock before the door opened and someone come in.

"Albus?" Minerva McGonagall said. "Might I borrow the map for a moment? It appears we have a missing student. Essie Willowby hasn't returned to her room this evening. Pomona and I have been looking everywhere for her."

"Have you checked with all the other professors, Professor McGonagall?" Dumbledore asked calmly. "I'm quite sure she can't be far. Perhaps even closer than you think," he said.

"Albus?" Minerva said, tilting her head, slightly confused. She then noticed the extra teacup on the desk.

"I think, from what I've been hearing, that little Essie had a most upsetting day today, but I'm quite sure she's still here and she'll come out when she's ready. I daresay they'll probably find her snug in her bed in the morning. After all, Essie belongs in this school. She has quite a bit of potential, don't you think?" Dumbledore said.

"Yes," McGonagall said cautiously. "She does quite well with the spells in my class. She just gets a bit nervous about tests, but I daresay she'll grow out of that. I wish she would come to us when she feels she's in trouble, though."

"I have a feeling that little Essie is feeling some of the pressure we were afraid at one point Corey would feel," Dumbledore explained. "I think she's afraid that if she comes to one of us that it might look like favoritism to the other students if we interfered, considering how much time she spends in the summer with her brother and his parents."

"Professor Dumbledore, she is a student just like all the others and has a right to go to anyone she feels comfortable with when she has a problem. I daresay Corey has come to me often enough with his little hang-ups. I promise if she ever comes to me with something, I'll treat her fairly," McGonagall said.

"Thank you, Professor McGonagall, I knew that you would. Essie has a great many people in this castle that care for her, and I'm sure the sooner she realizes that, the happier she'll be going to school here," Dumbledore said. "Now, try not to worry. If it makes you feel any better, I will go and look for her myself after we've finished our tea."

"Yes, Professor Dumbledore, thank you. Good night," she added. A moment later the drawer opened again and Essie found herself in Dumbledore's hand, staring into his glasses again.

"So terribly sorry about that. Professor McGonagall is rather timid around mice," Dumbledore said, putting her back on the table. "I'm afraid it seems I have some business to take care of once we've finished our tea. But don't worry; I'll take you back downstairs with me. I trust you'll be able to find your way from there," he smiled at the mouse, setting her back down on her desk.

After eating nearly half the biscuit (and feeling a bit sleepy because of it,) Essie soon found herself riding on the brim of his hat again, and before too long was back on the second floor near the Great Hall, eerily quiet that time of night.

"Now I must be going, I do have a missing student to find," Dumbledore said almost apologetically setting her back down on the ground. "Do watch out for the cats and owls, now, Hogwarts has a great deal of both, you know," he added, walking further down the corridor.

That was when Essie decided once and for all that maybe living her life completely as a mouse probably wasn't such a good idea. She also didn't want Dumbledore to worry, or spend all night looking for her. Quickly she scurried off around the corner to the other side of the Hall where the bathrooms were, squeezing back through the hole in the door she had first come out of.

Trying to remember exactly how she turned into a mouse and what it felt like, Essie began concentrating on her real form until she felt herself start to change, slowly finding her perspective changing, her arms and hands feeling right again as her hand legs once again became her human legs and she found herself standing in front of the mirror back in her Hogwarts' robes, looking a bit unkempt but otherwise all herself again. Dashing out the door she headed back to where she thought she had seen Dumbledore last, heading down the back corridor. Finally she found him stepping out of the library, glancing curiously down the hall as she slowed her speed, hesitating.

"Essie? Is that you?" Dumbledore asked in a concerned voice.

"Sir, I…I know it's late, I'm sorry, I had to…to think, and I lost track of the time. I hope I didn't worry anyone," Essie answered, feeling rather silly and very conscientious of the fact that she wasn't telling him the exact truth. But there was no way she was going to confess that he had been having tea with a mouse who wasn't really a mouse all that time.

"Very well, Essie. I am glad to see you are safe, and there were a number of people worried about you," he said, looking at her over the rim of her glasses. "But I am wondering if there is anything, anything at all that you wish to tell me?"

"Er, no sir," Essie said with a squeak, clearing her throat. "I'm fine, really." Dumbledore looked at her for a long time, before nodding.

"Very well then, off to bed," he said gently. Nodding nervously at him, Essie turned and hurried towards the stairs, heading down to the Hufflepuff rooms. Dumbledore looked after her for a long time before finally letting out a soft chuckle. Shaking his head, he returned to his study.

Slipping into her room, Essie tried to climb into bed as quietly as she could, stubbing her toe on her trunk as she tried to get undressed. Angela, sleeping next to her, suddenly sat up and rubbed her eyes, squinting at her.

"Essie! There you are! Where have you been all this time?" she asked in a loud whisper as the other girl climbed into bed.

"You wouldn't believe me even if I told you," Essie said, pulling her covers over herself while the other girl frowned at her in annoyance, lying back down again

* * *

.

Anna couldn't help but notice how unusually grumpy her brother was when he finally appeared in the staff room a couple days later. His magic still wasn't working, and although he was quickly able to curb all questions and comments from the students during class, he was just as aware as everyone else what was being discussed in the halls. Anna, for her part, couldn't help but think that the experience would actually be good for Severus. He had always been a bit cocky and overconfident in his magic, and in Anna's opinion way too dependent on it. Still, she also didn't want to see it go on forever, either. The truth of the matter was, he just didn't seem like the same old Severus without his magic. His cloak was on his shoulders, and he made no movement in taking it off, nor had he since his magic went out. Without saying a word he nodded to her, grabbing a cup and a roll and sitting down beside her.

"So, how are you holding up?" Anna asked.

"Don't start," Severus snapped, looking over his paperwork. "My entire class plan is shot until this is fixed. No demonstrations, no examples. I can't bring in cursed items in my higher classes in case anything goes wrong. The class has been reduced to a book subject."

"Well, why don't you do what Jennifer does when her magic is out and have some guest speakers?" Anna suggested. "There's got to be a lot of people you can call up for Defense. Like Harry, or Audi, or Vallid?"

"The students haven't recovered with dealing with Audi from last year. And I am well aware of how busy Vallid is; I doubt she'd have the time. I may

Owl Harry though," he mused. "Still, a guest speaker now and then isn't enough. Perhaps I should go on leave until this is over…if it is ever over."

"Oh come on, Severus, if Jennifer can teach class without magic like she has over the last three years you can deal with this…"

"Why does everyone have to keep bringing that up?" Severus snapped. "Potions class requires little magic except on a molecular level, which fortunately doesn't go away. It's not like Defense where you're using spells during every class."

"Then why not trade classes with Jennifer?" Anna asked. "She's qualified to teach Defense."

"You forget, we're on schedule. She'll be losing her own magic at any time as well," Severus muttered.

"Well then, how about you teach Muggle Studies and I'll teach Defense," Anna suggested. The look on Severus' face indicated quite clearly that he didn't think that was very funny.

There was a clop-clopping sound from the hall, and Sagittari peered in, smiling warmly at Severus before taking another step in. He had been back for some time; apparently the problems had cleared up for the Fomorians as quickly as they started, and they were able to move back once again into their underwater homes. Unfortunately, they were blaming the wizards for the mishap, but with disgruntlement allowed the giants to stay on to help repair the damages. Sagittari was shooed away like the plague, but he was glad to return home in spite of the knowledge that things could hardly get any worse between the Fomorian mages and the wizards.

"Ah, there you are, Severus. Is your conference time free today? I've finally got all the allergy tests set up," Sagittari said with a smile.

"Good, let's get this over with," Severus said, standing up. "Muggle Studies," he muttered again as he walked to the door. Anna smirked at him, shaking her head. Anna was only hoping that Severus was going to learn something from this experience.

* * *

It was nearly time for her advanced Muggle Work Studies, a class she had arranged for wizard and witch students of later years wanting to seek regular professions. There were, regrettably, very few all wizard students in the class; most of them had at least one Muggle parent. But those who had stuck it out through the last two years of her classes and were still interested she tended to cater to a bit; after all the others had at least some limited exposure outside of class, while those few didn't have any at all.

It was a class full of field trips and counting Muggle money and even to some extent manners, mannerisms and what to wear and where, (each student was required to have both a dress outfit and casual outfit of Muggle clothes to even take the course) and everyone who took the class seemed excited about all the outings for the year ahead. Of course, travel for the trips were going to be hardly conventional; otherwise Anna would never have managed to get them back for their next classes. But still, even if the bus was a 'little' faster than normal, the students were otherwise not to do any magic while in the class or out of it.

One of the repeat offenders of this rule, Bryan Aldeb, was a wizardborn who wanted to go to college to learn computers after he graduated. But every time something got too complicated the wand came out to 'fix things', then often the wand found itself on Anna's desk for the day. As it was, that particular day he'd been unusually good at keeping it to himself, and it was decided by everyone afterwards that it was a very good thing that he had.

Anna had been in the tedious process at that point of teaching them Muggle banking, something the wizardborn seemed to have a particularly hard time grasping. She had ended up asking Danny to come in and help to explain some of it in terms they could understand (the part that all of the money came from the exact same vault seemed to worry them) until finally they seemed to get it and set about giving them homework on how to fill out slips and cheques, spending that next class period to go over them.

Abacuses were flying on the desks as they tried to work it out, and Anna wished not for the first time she could find a calculator that would work in the school. As she sat at her desk writing up the possibility of solar calculators, Anna suddenly noticed an odd figure standing by the door. It was an Imp. Rather like the one in fact that had spoiled her wedding, except this one was wearing wizards clothes, pointing a wand directly at her.

Before she could get up, it suddenly cast a spell at her she didn't quite catch, a blaze of light bursting around her as her magic tried to fight it off. A complex matrix of chain-like energy strands criss-crossing in a giant polyhedron like shape pushed its way around her. As she tried to push it away the glow around her began to waver, as if the shape was absorbing her energy, pulling her deeper into the structure. But Bryan was a top student in Arithmantics, and wasted little time in pulling out his wand, pointing it at the structure.

"_Gamma Epsilon Alpha Equate!_" he called out as a formula appeared in the air in front of him. The strange structure began to spin rapidly until somehow it managed to turn itself inside out, looking like a spiked crystal. That was when several of the other students stood up, all casting random spells. One of them casted '_immobulus'_ on the Imp, while another cast '_requite_' on the structure, sending it right back towards its caster. Even another cast '_expelliarmus_,' disarming the imp, before all of the students gathered around it, their wands all pointed at its nose.

"Nobody had better mess with our teacher," Perry Dalance said, "or any teacher here, ever again."

Footsteps hurried up the hallway then and Sirius Black, along with McGonagall came in the door looking at the creature in surprise before it suddenly dissipated into mist.

"Goodness! An Imp! How did that get in here?" Minerva asked.

"Anna, are you alright?" Sirius asked with concern, hurrying to her side.

"Sure. Fine." Anna said, nodding in slight shock, not really feeling like either, glancing over at the class. Looking rather sheepish, Bryan walked over to the desk, putting his wand on top of it before taking his seat again. Following suit, all the others did the same, taking their places as if nothing had happened.


	8. A Conspiracy Revealed

Chapter Eight

A Conspiracy Revealed

By the time supper rolled around, Anna didn't feel too well. In fact, she didn't really feel like putting up with Severus and Jennifer, who had come to ask her about the Imp incident. Why didn't everyone just leave her alone?

"Whoever was controlling the Imp must have had some knowledge at least of what Anna was," Severus said with a frown. "Although I'm still trying to figure out how that thing got in the school."

"Things have been slipping in other places too," Jennifer pointed out. "There've been numerous Muggles managing to get into the Alleys lately, maybe the same thing happened here?" Severus nodded with a frown, acknowledging the possibility.

"We need to go back to old security standards, constant patrols along the grounds. We can't afford for anything else to get in."

"Why does everything have to try and go after me?" Anna said irritably. "No, don't tell me, let me guess. The magic failing is somehow my fault."

"Now, Anna, none of us really believe that," Jennifer sighed.

"Well apparently someone does, why else would anyone send an Imp after me?" Anna asked.

"Curious, isn't it, that it would be an Imp, after Fudge sending one at the wedding," Severus mused.

"Well, we know it's not him, I checked the body myself when you were accused of murdering him," Jennifer sighed. "He's dead."

"Look, can't we try and figure this out tomorrow? I really don't feel well," Anna admitted.

"Maybe you should go see Sagittari or Poppy before you leave," Severus said, suddenly concerned. "You may still have some aftereffects from that spell."

"No, it doesn't feel like a spell," Anna said, holding her head in her hand. "I think I'll see if I can't get to my doctor tomorrow." Jennifer sighed silently at Anna but didn't say anything. Why would she want to go to a Muggle doctor? She was sure whatever she was feeling could be cured a lot faster with a potion than anything he might give her.

There was a soft knock at the door and Sirius peeked in, nodding to Severus and Jennifer.

"Sorry I'm late. Dumbledore wanted to talk to me about security, he wants me to come back tomorrow and make sure the castle is sealed."

"What do you mean he wants you to do it? Castle security is _my_ job!" Severus snapped, standing up. "Why wasn't I informed of any of this?"

"Look, Severus, I'm not here to step on any toes. I'm here because Dumbledore asked me to cover for you while your magic's down. If you got a problem with it, take it up with him, but I'm not going to argue with you about it," Sirius said back. Severus glared at him for a long moment while Sirius met his gaze challengingly. Growling, Severus took off out the door, and Jennifer wasn't surprised when her watch's Severus hand pointed to Dumbledore's study.

"Well, I'd better let you get her home. If that doctor of yours doesn't find out what's wrong you will check in with Sagittari too, won't you? Just in case it's magical?" Jennifer asked her. Anna sighed softly, knowing that Jennifer was saying that only out of concern.

"All right, I will," she promised. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow after my appointment since Sirius will be here," she added. Jennifer followed them down the hall until they got to the main stairs, waving at them as they left, looking over the banister thoughtfully. Had the entire world gone mad? Failing magic? Severus losing his own powers? Magical creatures sneaking their way into school? Were they all related, or separate events entirely? Jennifer sighed and shook her head, wondering what was going to have to happen before they would find out.

* * *

Jennifer came back from visiting her children the next day to find Sirius at the gate, using a strange fork-shaped divining rod, which hummed in perfect harmony. He put it away as she approached, waving to her.

"How is it?"

"Everything seems in tact, even the Muggle disinterest illusion that seems to be having trouble in other places," Sirius said. "No doubt about it, the founders knew what they were doing when they set this place up."

"Merlin knew what he was doing when he set the Twilight Arc up, and look how fast it went down," Jennifer pointed out.

"Yes, but the Twilight Arc has also has a few thousand years on the school. If age has anything to do with it, it's probably one of the oldest spells still in effect anywhere. So, if Ancient magic is dying, it makes sense it'd be one of the first to go."

"Severus is convinced it's not dying. At least, he was convinced until his magic stopped," Jennifer admitted. "But why only him? I mean, if magic was really dying, you'd think it'd hit us all at once."

"Why don't you ask him?" Sirius asked. "Maybe he did something to mess it up himself and is just too stubborn to admit it."

"Oh, Sirius really. Besides, I would have known by now. He doesn't know what it is. And I'd really appreciate it if you didn't give him a hard time about it. This has really been rough on him."

"All right, all right, Jennifer. For your sake, I'll try to keep quiet. But if he starts trying to boss me around on this security thing, there's going to be a war," Sirius warned as they went back inside. Jennifer sighed, knowing nothing else she said was going to make much difference on that. Well, at least the two men got along a lot better than they used to… she chuckled quietly to herself. Of course, it could have hardly gotten much worse.

Sirius and Jennifer walked over to Anna's office. It was well after lunch, and he wondered if he missed her come in while checking out the Quidditch Pitch. Sure enough, Anna was there, but she didn't look anything close to happy. In fact, she looked quite furious.

"Hi Anna, how was your checkup?" Sirius asked.

"Don't you 'how was your checkup' me!'" Anna said, standing in the doorway of her office. "I thought you said those things were foolproof? Don't worry about, it Anna. I've got it covered, Anna?"

"Does that mean you're...uh..." Sirius stopped short as a couple of students past in the hall.

"Yes I am, no thanks to you! I thought we were going to wait another year!" she snapped at Sirius.

"Ah, well, I see you two have things to talk about," Jennifer said, moving to turn around.

"Oh, no you don't. I want to ask you about this foolproof potion of Severus and yours," she said, heading into her office. Sirius and Jennifer looked at each other guiltily, following her.

"Don't tell me it's another one of those potions that doesn't work right because I'm an Aethermage," she snapped.

"Oh, uh, that could be possible, maybe that's it," Jennifer said too quickly. Anna frowned at her.

"You don't believe that."

"Sure I do, sounds, um reasonable to me," Jennifer said nervously, shrugging. Sirius shrugged supportively along with her.

"Jennifer, you're lying," Anna said, putting her arms on her hips. "I don't know why, but you are, you're such a lousy liar. Do you have something to do with this?"

"Look, don't get on Jennifer, Anna," Sirius said, taking a step ahead. He tried to put his hands on Anna's shoulder but she stepped back. "Okay, I admit it, I stopped taking Oat's Bane a few months ago and switched to the concoction Jennifer and Severus had been using. She might have given me the bottle, but I took it on my own."

"You _helped_ him?" Anna said, looking furious at Jennifer. "And you didn't even tell me what he was up to?"

"Oh, Anna, I knew you wanted kids," Jennifer sighed, shaking her head at her. "I saw your face every single time you picked one of mine up. But I also knew you weren't ready to admit it. And when Sirius came to me with this, I thought, well, it'd be nice to have one of yours going to school at the same time as mine, and he really seemed sincere that you both were ready, so I gave him the other bottle."

"So you just assumed I wanted this now?"

"Anna, it's been written all over your face for months now…"

"Jennifer! Don't ever look at me again!" Anna barked. Jennifer shrunk back a little.

"Sorry?" Jennifer said, looking sheepish.

Just then there was a knock at the door and Jennifer cringed, knowing who it was. Seeing her reaction, Sirius cringed as well, reluctantly opening the door to see Severus standing there in alarm.

"What is going on in here? Anna, I could hear you screaming from down the hall," Severus said, closing the door and noting the expressions on Sirius and Jennifer's faces.

"They got me pregnant!" Anna accused, pointing at them. The two of them cringed even more while Severus looked at them in confusion for a moment, then suddenly it went away as he focused in on Jennifer.

"So, that's where the missing potion went," he said slowly, frowning at her.

"Yes, I guess it must have slipped my mind," Jennifer said with a nervous chuckle.

"Office. _Now_." Severus said in a deadly calm. Jennifer knew better than to argue, heading to the door. Sirius opened it, looking at her apologetically. Well, at least Jennifer knew that Anna was actually happy about it, she mused. But she had a feeling it'd be a long time before she let Sirius in on that fact. Severus, on the other hand, was not happy, and rather then press her luck, Jennifer headed straight to his office without another word. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I seem to have a detention to dish out."

"Wait a minute! What about him?" Anna asked, pointing at Sirius. Severus looked at Sirius then back at Anna again.

"Anna, you married him, he's your problem. I'm not going to interfere in your marriage."

"Since when?" Sirius said, before he realized that wouldn't help his situation any. Severus looked over him steadily.

"Since right now," Severus said, smiling coldly. "Anna, if the two of you decide that you do not want this situation right now, you'll both need to get with me before the second month has past so I can make a counter potion. But I'm sure you can handle discussing that on your own. Good day," he said, nodding to them and making a quick exit.

Anna stared at the door a little taken back by that. Did her brother really think she'd even consider it? Or was it his way of driving the matter home? Anna looked over at Sirius again, who was looking at the door with concern and back at Anna. It was plain now they had a lot to talk about.

Jennifer looked up nervously as Severus came in the office, immediately turning on the burners, refusing to look directly at her as he grabbed some ingredients off the shelf.

"I can't believe you did that, what in the world made you think you had the right to dictate what happens in someone else's life?" he snapped angrily at her, adding the first vial, a terrible gassy smell going up in the office.

"Severus, don't you think you're overreacting a bit? Sirius asked for a potion, and yes I gave it to him, but that's all I did," Jennifer said.

"Yes, and Anna just asked me for a potion to fix this mess, and I plan to give it to her," he snapped, adding another foul smelling phial to the mix. Jennifer stared at his back.

"You can't possibly be serious!" Jennifer said, paling noticeably.

"Deadly serious. It wasn't your choice and Sirius' choice, Jennifer, it was ultimately _her_ choice, and Sirius' second. You of all people should have known that! And I have every intention of finishing this and giving it to her tonight!" he snapped.

"You can't give her something like that without talking to her! She might do something she'll regret for the rest of her life, it'll change things forever!" Jennifer protested, getting up and turning his shoulder around to look at him. His eyes seemed to pierce right through hers as she looked at him, locked in a long gaze.

"Yours already did," he said after a moment. Jennifer exhaled relieved by what she saw in his face.

"She wasn't considering it at all," Jennifer said softly.

"She might have," Severus said, reaching over to turn off the burners. "And I would have made it, but not without talking to her. You do have a responsibility where the potions go after it leaves the lab. Regardless of who made it," he added with a stern frown.

"You're right of course, I've been a complete idiot. I was only trying to help, and I did see in her face…" Severus' frown deepened and Jennifer cut her defense off short. "Alright, that's no excuse, you're right. I shouldn't have interfered, and definitely not without her knowing about it. I'm sorry."

"Yes, well, save the apologies for Anna," Severus said in a gentler tone, putting the rest of the bottles back. "Although I suggest it wait until tomorrow. I have a feeling whatever words she has for Sirius it is going to take her awhile to express them. She's my father's daughter after all."


	9. The House of Cards

Chapter Nine

The House of Cards

October rolled in cold and dry, and students' thoughts quickly turned to the pursuit of Quidditch. Jennifer found it very reassuring; tension in the school had been quite high of late, and both staff and students were jumpy, wondering when the other shoe would fall. It had been, surprisingly, very quiet lately, and except for Severus' continuing lack of magic, nothing outrageously odd had happened in the last few weeks. Even the _Daily Prophet_ hadn't reported much in the way of Muggle Sightings, although it continued a running story of the Ministry's investigation as well as several Orders that were trying to figure out what was causing the disturbances.

Jennifer plopped down into a chair in the staff room beside Severus just as Minerva called the staff meeting to order. Minerva smiled at everyone as she took her place at the head of the table.

"I suppose you all are wondering why I've called you here," Minerva said. "Well, as you know, Halloween is upon us again, and I know in the last few years we have dealt with it on a low scale fashion. Well, this year, several of the teachers have come to me about the restlessness among the students due to happenings in the outside world, and have suggested to me that we might have a Halloween Dance, and perhaps invite some of the school's friends to attend as well." Severus looked at his wife accusingly, but she shrugged at him. She didn't have anything to do with it this time. It was obvious that Filius, Rolanda and Alvin had, however.

"I think it's a splendid idea," Pomona said approvingly. "I think we could all use a nice rest bit, considering."

"Minerva, I'm not sure this is such a good idea, especially the part about inviting outsiders, what with the security concerns…" Severus started.

"Now, Severus, the castle was checked over thoroughly by Sirius and found completely sound," Minerva said, Severus grimacing slightly in response. "We have never had one incident at any of our functions, and I daresay we won't have one now, especially with plenty of volunteer chaperones?" she asked, the table suddenly growing quiet. She glanced slyly at Jennifer before adding, "Filius' enchanted band will be providing the music." Jennifer's hand went up and Severus turned and stared at her.

"I like the music," she said with a shrug and a smile. Severus sighed and slowly raised his hand.

"Anyone else?" Minerva asked amusedly, looking for another person to volunteer.

* * *

"Essie!" Corey and Doug caught up with his sister before she started up the stairs after dinner. "We're going to go visit Caprica, want to come?"

"Oh, no, I can't, I have sparring club tonight," Essie said. "But tell her hello for me."

"Sparring club? Since when do you have sparring club?" Corey said with surprise, putting his hands on his hips.

"Since the week before last, actually," Essie admitted.

"Wow, Essie, I didn't know you even liked that sort of thing," Doug said, looking at her curiously.

"Yes well, I thought maybe it'd be nice to learn to protect myself a little," Essie said, taking another step. "You know, help me with my defense."

"Essie," Corey said, following close behind her. "Is that beast Greisley still putting on you? Because if he is, I swear I'm gonna…"

"No, Corey, I'm fine. Really," Essie said before running up the stairs. Corey stopped and looked over at Doug, who shrugged.

"Remind me to keep an eye on that kid from now on. I can't believe Essie's got this idea in her head all by herself," Corey said, heading up one flight and down the hall.

Caprica, as it turned out, was in the middle of a card game along with another painting and two ghosts…part of the deck was in the painting, the other seemed to be floating in astral form between the two other players. The two of them watched for a long time before Icarus finally laid down his cards.

"Gin. We win again," Ick said. Caprica and Janus threw down their cards, looking at each other.

"How are you doing that?" Corey asked, staring at the deck as the rest of the ghost cards went into the painting to be shuffled by Bedivere O'Laren who was in the frame next to Caprica. The four Apprentices turned to look at once, each one breaking into their own unique smile.

"Corey!" Icarus smiled. "And just where have the two of you been lately? And where are the others?"

"They're at sparring practice," Corey explained. "And I am sorry we haven't been around, but, well, we've been trying to figure out how to help my Dad."

"I had heard he lost his powers again," Janus said, glancing at the cards he was dealt thoughtfully.

"Again?" Corey repeated.

"Like he did on the isle," Janus said. "Did I say that right?" The others nodded reassuringly to him. They had been working on his English for months.

"That's right, I almost forgot about that," Corey said, turning to Doug. "When Dad got home last year, he couldn't do magic for several weeks after. Sagittari said he'd cast some powerful spells and he thought that might have messed up his magic. Fortunately, it got better about the time Mom had Andrew, and a good thing too what with Mom being sick. You know, I wonder if he might not have cast a spell or something and made himself sick again?"

"I'm sure they would have thought to check that already, Corey," Doug said.

"Still, why do I get the feeling there's a connection there?" Corey said thoughtfully.

"Tell me, Corey," Bedivere asked as he finished the deal. "Do you know if they've found the Lia Fal yet?"

"The Lia Fal?"

"The last piece of the seal," Caprica nodded, playing a card. "It is said that if someone was destined to be the high king of Britain stood before the stone, that the stone would sing, signifying him as an heir with a right to the throne."

"I doubt it works for the ruling house now though," Icarus said slyly.

"I should think not. Generations of usurpers have invaded Britain since that stone sang," Janus grunted.

"But there are several high kings that still have pure bloodlines out there," Bedivere pointed out. "Did you not tell me, Caprica, that Dumbledore was using one of them to try to track it down?"

"Yes, but obviously he's had no luck yet," Caprica said.

"What makes you sure that Dumbledore doesn't have it and just hasn't told you?" Corey asked.

"Let me assure you Corey," Icarus said, glancing back over at him. "If anyone in this school finds it, we will know," he said, putting down his cards. "Gin."

"They must be cheating," Janus squinted at Bedivere.

"It's not cheating to use every advantage you have been given to get the result you want, surely you know that of all people, Janus." Icarus said.

"Translate?" Janus asked.

"_Gladius acutus dona victoria_," Bedivere said.

"Ah yes," Caprica agreed, looking at her new hand. "The sharpest sword does reward the victory."

"But only if the sharpest mind is wielding it," Icarus pointed out, playing another card.

* * *

Now that Essie didn't have to worry about fear demonstrations anymore, Defense class had gotten a bit easier; despite the fact that Snape's temperament had gotten worse than ever. She had even managed to die only once on her last test (she had died three times on the one before) and was dutifully studying every chapter, determined…even knowing she couldn't do better than that show-off Greisley…to do better in the class than she had the year before. She had also been doing her best not to let Victor get to her, even though she remembered that Dumbledore had said ignoring the problem wouldn't go away. But still, she knew she couldn't possibly defend herself against him yet. She'd only started sparring class a few weeks ago, after all, and she had yet to win a match of any sort, often too nervous to cast a spell at her opponents, and really not feeling much like she wanted to hurt them.

Essie heard Snape yelling at one of her housemates about not paying attention and Essie became alert, noticing most of the others had shut their books and she did so quickly as well.

"Next week, we're going to have a guest speaker. Auror Harry Potter will be here to give a lecture on Dementors," Snape said, glaring at the class when they started to talk excitedly, immediately barking at them to be quiet. "The week after that, on Halloween, you will all be given a test over the last couple of months. You will not be allowed to leave the classroom after the test until it is marked. Ghosts may be allowed to go to the dance, but I assure you, corpses will not," he said, looking around at them closely. "If anyone dies on the test, they will not be allowed to go to the dance. So to those of you prone to multiple deaths," he said, stopping his pacing in front of Essie's table looking at the two girls, "you had better make an extra point of studying until then, although I doubt in some cases that it will help," he added. Essie glared at him and then at Greisley, who was snickering softly. "Dismissed."

"Come on, Essie, we can't afford to be late to Trelawney's class today. Don't forget what she predicted was going to happen to the last student that came in," Angela said, hurriedly gathering up her books.

"Oh my gosh, I almost forgot! We surely better dash," Essie agreed, the two girls rushing out of the classroom. But as they went around the corner, they were immediately stopped by Greisley and several of his classmates.

"Hang on a moment, Willowby, I'd like to speak to you. Not you, Ames, you can run along," Victor said, shooing her away.

"I'm not going anywhere without Essie," she said, daring him to make her move.

"It's alright, Angela," Essie said, trying to keep her voice steady. After all, if she really had to, she could run back to the Defense class from there, or even better into the nearby bathroom. There was no way they were going to find her in mouse form. Nobody even knew she could do it yet. "I can handle it."

"Alright, Essie. But don't forget what Trelawney said," Angela said. Victor laughed as he watched to go in disbelief.

"Don't tell me you're actually starting to believe that old charlatan?" he said.

"Divination is an imprecise art," Essie said defensively.

"Never mind that rubbish, Willowby. I want to talk to you about Defense class. I've noticed you've been making a real go at trying to keep your nose above water," he said with an approving nod. "You've even taken up sparring, haven't you? I didn't think you had it in you, but I suppose maybe I've been wrong about you," he said. His friends were grinning at her, but not in a very nice sort of way. "But I know you've still been struggling on those last questions. Of course, we all have, but you more than anyone in class, Snape points that out often enough. Anyhow, I was thinking perhaps we could help each other out, you know, you help me, I help you, and make sure we all get to go to the dance?"

"What are you talking about, Greisley?"

"Tell me, Essie, if we distracted Snape for a few hours this weekend, do you think you might be able to get a copy of the test?" Greisley asked. Essie's eyes went wide.

"Me? Why me?"

"Well, first off, I know your brother always takes care of Snape's familiar in the evenings, which means he knows the password, and I bet it wouldn't be too hard for you to get it. Not to mention, if you get caught, I'm sure you can easily make something up he'd believe, but if one of us did it, it wouldn't work out at all," Greisley said. "And if you succeed, you and me can be friends from now on. You'll have proved you're not a coward after all. And I can be a good friend. I'll make sure none of the other Slytherin pick on you anymore. And best of all, you won't have to worry about not being able to go to the dance, because none of us will die, see?"

Essie looked at them for a long moment. She knew they were just trying to use her. But she also knew she had an ability they didn't know about to help get her out of things if she got into any real trouble. What would one little test hurt? And they were right that it'd be pretty easy to get the password to get in. All she would have to do is volunteer to help him clean up after the basilisk a night to get that.

"All right, but only if you promise you won't tease me anymore," Essie said. Greisley smiled greasily at her.

"Oh, I promise," he said, letting her pass. She was in too much of a hurry after that to notice all of them chuckling at her before heading to their next class. Dashing down the hall she ran up to the North Tower, taking the stairs by twos as she ran into the classroom. Just then Trelawney let out a blood-curdling scream from where she stood in the doorway behind them, pointing at Essie who had jumped sky-high from having the scream right in her ear.

"You are the last one here! It is you who is going to perform…a dastardly deed," Madam Trelawney said, sounding ominous. Everyone stared at Essie, who chuckled nervously and shuffled to her seat, Angela shaking her head at her as she did so.

"Now! Today we shall be starting to work with Tarot Cards," she said in a low voice. "Symbols of the great forces that move us all! We will be working with just the Major Arcana today. So get out your cards, come, come now."

As Essie went through her bag to get out her cards she noticed a figure float in from the floor, looking at the room thoughtfully. Trelawney, who was busy trying to make sure everyone was ready suddenly turned to see the ghost and jumped in surprise.

"What are you doing in here? Don't you know you could disturb the natural vibrations in the room?" Trelawney told the ghost.

"I came to watch," Icarus said somberly. "I want to see what horribly gloomy things are in our immediate future. Gloomy portents usually do so much to cheer me up."

"Well if you _must_ stay, go hover over there somewhere," she said in annoyance, waving behind her dismissively. Icarus came up right behind her, hovering nonchalantly over her shoulder. Essie and Angela couldn't help at grin each other, the Madame not yet aware how literally he had taken her. "Now, as you can see, each of these have a picture representing several different meanings, depending on direction, time, and how they face each other," she said.

"In other words, they can mean anything at all," Ick said, getting a chuckle out of the class.

"Do you mind? I'm trying to teach a class," Trelawney said in annoyance.

"Sorry, I'll be quiet," Icarus said, taking an empty seat in the class.

"Now, the first thing you want to do is align the cards with your personal vibrations, so you can do a reading for yourself. The more readings you do with your cards for yourself, the better your cards will get to know you, and the better you will get them to perform," she explained.

"Oh? Does that mean you can do card tricks?" Ick asked innocently, getting another round of laughter out of the class.

"That is it. Leave now or I shall be forced to exorcise you!" Trelawney threatened him.

"Quite all right, I did my laps around the castle already today," Ick said dully, getting another chuckle. "What I really came up here for is to see you do a real reading. Tell me what you see of the immediate future," Icarus asked.

"Very well," Trelawney said, giving the ghost a very wary look indeed. "I suppose it would do the class a bit of good for a true demonstration of the True Art," she said, stepping to the circular table that she had claimed for her desk. Waving her hands the silk cloth covering her crystal ball floated away and she sat down. Everyone in the class grew silent then, most of them focused in on Trelawney as she hummed to try to put herself in a trance. But Essie found herself much more fascinated in Icarus who was watching her with a most peculiar steady gaze as if trying to see inside the silken scarf she had wrapped around her head.

"I see within the ball a deck of cards," Trelawney intoned.

"Only one?" Angela couldn't help but mutter, glancing at the decks on every table. Even Icarus stopped to make sure there wasn't a deck lying in front of the crystal ball before continuing to watch her again.

"But they are not stacked like a normal deck of cards, but leaning on each other, forming… different levels…yes, like a house! A house of cards! This one has four separate parts, like towers on a castle, but all of them are leaning towards each other to a central tower. And the backs of the cards have jack-o'-lanterns on them…but wait. Someone seems to be trying to add another card, but something is wrong…everything looks fine, but there is something unexpected…the foundation in covered in something…black…" Suddenly she stood up and screamed, the entire class jumping back in surprise, knocking several of the decks onto the floor. "The cards fell! The cards fell! Oh dear, this is bad, very bad," she said, fretting as she came out of the trance. "This is terrible!"

"What's terrible, Madame Trelawney?" Essie asked nervously.

"On Halloween, something terrible is going to happen! Lives will be at stake! And someone is in great danger of losing everything they've worked so hard to build! It's a professor in this school, I'm sure of it! Beware, my class, when the dance comes, for your actions may determine if this horrible vision will come to pass!" Trelawney said, getting up to get herself some tea to calm her nerves. Essie turned to Icarus again, hoping he would break the strange omen with more of his levity. But this time, the somber ghost was more serious; his expression more than a little concerned as he floated through the floor, pondering the image he himself had seen in the crystal after the cards had fallen.


	10. The Art of Not Running

Chapter Ten

The Art of Not Running

Rasputin loved the extra attention he got the next week when Essie helped Corey feed him. She couldn't believe how big he was getting. Corey said when he had first seen him that the lizard had been as long as his arm, and now he was half that again, and seemed to weigh a ton. Only Snape tried to carry him anymore; even Jennifer ordered him about like a misbehaving puppy when he was in the way rather than try. But unlike any other sort of basilisk Essie had heard about, Rasputin was very docile; lazy in fact, its glass eye surveying the room while they cleaned up after him and gave him stoned kibble meat or an occasional mouse (Essie let Corey do that part, for some reason it really began to bother her all of the sudden.)

The lecture had been the best part of the week, hearing Harry Potter himself tell them about his own experiences with the Dementors and how he'd learned the very spell he taught them from an old professor at Hogwarts. Except for a squint every now and again when Harry mentioned certain people, Snape more or less let him have the floor, only putting a word in when the students would wean Harry's subject off Dementors and onto other more interesting adventures, making sure they got back on topic. It was during the Quidditch game that weekend that Greisley had determined would be the best time to try and go over and grab the paper, for both Craw and Snape most undoubtedly would be at the Ravenclaw-Slytherin game.

So, while Greisley and his friends waited by the classroom door, Essie went in, quietly whispered the password and then slipped in the office door. As she stared at Rasputin, who moved his large head around to look at her, she suddenly felt guilty about what she was doing. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. In fact, she knew it wasn't. How did she get talked into doing this? Well, it was far too late to back out now. Slipping Rasputin some more of his stoned kibble, Essie stepped over to the desk praying that the drawers would be unlocked. By some miracle they were, and Essie sorted through the papers, scanning them now and then until she finally found what she knew must be it. Her heart pounding loudly, she quickly made a copy and shoved it in her robe, carefully trying to put everything else back where she found it and shutting the drawer tight.

But as she made her way to the door she heard the knob turn, and in a sudden panic she changed form to a mouse, scurrying onto the lower bookshelf and in between the books just as Severus came into the office. He seemed to be looking for something, something in particular, glancing through his drawers as he did so before heading over to his bookshelf. But as he was scanning the shelves, he noticed several of the volumes on the lower shelf had fallen at an angle and as he shoved them to the side, he saw a tail sticking out from the back. With lightning reflexes he caught the mouse by the tail and held her up.

"So, thought you were going to gnaw on my Holmes collection, did you? You picked the wrong office to try that in," he said, dangling the mouse by the tail as he went to take the eye patch off Rasputin. A sudden panic gripped her and she couldn't concentrate to try and change back, only managing to wriggle and try to shut her eyes, knowing all too well what was going to happen next.

But Rasputin stared at the mouse with its glass eye, turning the other eye away from her.

"You were going to feed me that?" Rasputin hissed.

"What do you mean was I going to feed you that? It's a mouse, since when don't you want a mouse?" Severus hissed back.

"I'm not hungry," Rasputin decided, rubbing the flipped over eye patch until it fell into place then crawled back into its bed. Severus forgot all about the mouse, dropping it and going over to his familiar worriedly. He didn't see the mouse scurrying out the door as he felt Rasputin's belly and looked the lizard over.

Professor Alvin Archibald knocked lightly door, peering in.

"No luck finding that book?" he asked.

"No, but I'll try to get it to you later on. I need to get Rasputin to Sagittari," Severus said, picking the hefty lizard up. "Tell Jennifer I'll catch up with her as soon as I can."

"What's wrong? Is it serious?" Alvin asked, closing the door behind them.

"He says he's not hungry," Severus said.

"My word, that is serious," Alvin agreed as the two men headed out.

Counting her blessings that the basilisk seemed to recognize her, Essie stepped into the next classroom long enough to change back to her normal form, then ran down the opposite hallway. Near the corridor to the Quidditch Pitch, Greisley and the others were waiting, looking up at her with surprise.

"So? Did you manage it?" Victor asked.

"I thought you were going to be guarding the door for me?" Essie asked.

"We tried, but we didn't get much warning before he showed up. How did you get away? Did he believe your story about feeding the lizard?"

"Oh I almost fed the lizard alright," Essie said. "Look, I did get it, but I'm not sure it's a good idea to be doing this here, anybody could come along. Besides, I'm not sure I really want to do it at all."

"What do you mean, Willowby?" Greisley said with a frown. "You've already gotten this far, what could go wrong now? Look, if you're so worried about it, why don't you just give it to us and you can forget doing it yourself. Forget the dance, forget having a good mark for a change, and forget everything. But I swear if you don't give it to me, Willowby, I am going to make your life miserable."

"What is going on here?" Victor jumped and turned around to see Corey, not looking too happy to see him. "Get away from my sister, Greisley!" Corey growled, "or I swear I'll knock you out where you stand."

"What, we were just having a pleasant conversation here, weren't we, Willowby?" Greisley said. Essie nodded fervently.

"How is making her life miserable pleasant conversation?" Corey demanded. "Essie, what's he after?"

"Nothing, Corey, I'm fine, really," Essie said. Corey and his friends glanced at each other.

"Fine. But you're coming to watch the game with me," Corey said, grabbing his sister's hand and pulling her off. "I think you've had enough pleasant conversation for one day." Essie was unusually quiet as he led her around the outside of the stands, out of sight from everyone and far enough away for them to be heard. "All right Essie, are you going to tell me what's going on?"

"I'm trying to look after myself for a change," Essie said. "You see, I got Victor to stop teasing me the last few weeks."

"How?" Reluctantly Essie took out the paper showing it to him. Corey's eyes went wide, staring at her. "You got this out of Dad's desk! You were trying to help those creeps, weren't you?" he hissed at her.

"Look, Uncle Severus said none of us could go to the dance if we missed any of the essay questions, so they asked me to try and get it, and in return they promised to leave me alone," Essie said, looking miserable.

"You know what's going to happen if you get caught, don't you?" Corey said.

"Yes, but…but I'm tired of being the brunt of the jokes all the time! At least this way they'll stop."

"Essie, I am glad you're not running away anymore, but I don't think this is much of an improvement. Tell me honestly; is this something you really want to do?" Corey asked her seriously. Essie shook her head. "Good. Then let's go see Dad."

"Corey! You can't be serious!" Essie said, turning pale.

"Please, Essie, you have to trust me on this one. Once I was in real bad trouble, just like this, and Dad helped me straighten it out. If you go to him now, you're not going to get in trouble."

"But then, that'd only be because I'm your sister…"

"No, it wouldn't," Corey said, turning around. "When he helped me, I wasn't anything to him but a student. Please Essie…you want to help yourself, fine, but sometimes you need help to help yourself." Essie looked at the serious look on Corey's face for a long time. She was definitely afraid of what was going to happen next, but she knew that if she was going to stop running from her problems, she also was going to have to not run from this.

"Alright," Essie agreed. Putting two fingers in his mouth, Corey blew out a loud whistle and then wrote a quick note with the words, "Student Emergency" on it, rolling it up as Cheshire appeared, licking his paws. He slipped the note into the small decanter around the cat's neck and sent it off. Quickly he pulled her back behind the stands then, taking out a small potion kit and taking a powder out of it, dusting her with it and then himself. To her surprise the two of them had suddenly begun to blend in their surroundings, barely visible. "Chameleon Powder? But why –"

"You don't need Greisley seeing you going back to Dad's office right now," Corey explained. "Not until we know how he wants to handle this," he added, taking her hand and walking her to the office.

Seeing the door wasn't ajar, Corey made her step to the side and made a thumbprint on the blackboard with chalk, and Essie waited curiously, not quite sure why they hadn't gone in. But finally Snape arrived, gazing around to see the small mark on the board before closing the classroom door. Then he opened his office door wide and stepped out of the way, and Corey led her inside. He slipped in behind them then pulled the door shut, watching as Corey's hands appeared and began to brush the powder off his sister. Severus squinted in surprise as she emerged, looking over where Corey's hands were curiously.

"Dad, Essie's got something to tell you. Essie, good luck, I'm out of here," Corey said.

"You're not staying?" Essie said in a panic.

"Take another phial of powder with you," Severus said. His voice was calm but his eyes were watching Essie steadily, still keenly aware of when the hands disappeared and the door opened and closed again. Severus then pulled a chair out as an obvious gesture, leaning against a bookshelf nearby with a suspicious look on his face. "I don't suppose this has anything to do with Rasputin acting oddly, does it?" Essie chuckled nervously, sitting down in the chair. This was not going to be easy.

* * *

Leaves fell to the ground in waves as Halloween drew near, and excited students chatted merrily as they headed through the halls to their afternoon classes. Only in the Defense class was there any real tension as everyone took their seats, their fate still hanging in the balance from this one specific test. All the students waited nervously at their seats waiting for the Professor to come in, and Essie glanced over to Victor Greisley, who smiled back at her slyly. And why shouldn't he? After all, she had given them copies of the tests, but unlike them, she was quite curious about what then would happen next. Finally Snape came out of the office with papers in hand, the class immediately facing front and going quiet.

"As you know, we'll be having dinner a bit early this evening so you won't be having your next class. Because of that, I had intentionally planned a full-scale test for you today. However, since it seems I've gotten myself wrapped up into chaperoning this event, I've decided to shorten the test a bit," Severus glowered. Many of the Hufflepuffs breathed a sigh of relief. Many on the Slytherin side, however, were looking at each other thoughtfully. "Not that I think any of you deserve a break, but I'm sure you'll find the questions cover all the material at hand," he said, handing out papers one at a time. "There will also be only one essay problem on this test. This is literally do or die…if you get it wrong, you won't be going, and I doubt any of your classmates plan to stick around for a wake. Don't bother looking at each other's tests either. I purposefully gave you all a different question at the end so that you couldn't try looking off of each other's papers," he snarled, handing them out. Essie risked another look around to see Victor looking at his page with his eyes and mouth wide open. "Problem, Mr. Greisley?" Snape asked in an almost concerned tone.

"No, sir," Victor answered, and Essie turned quickly back around so he wouldn't notice her watching. Snape finally made it around to their corner of the room, handing out a copy to Angela and Essie silently before moving on. Essie glanced at the top of the test, to find most of the multiple choices had been on the original test, except in a different order or slightly reworded, sometimes asking for the opposite than the original answer. It was then she scanned down to see what her question was, and surprisingly, it wasn't asking her a situation with a dark creature at all.

"Begin," Snape said finally, wandering back through the tables as Essie read the question again.

_Name one of the most important things you need to know to be effective against the Dark Arts? _

The schoolbook answer was, of course, quite obvious to Essie, for it was: knowing how to prepare. But Essie decided to take a chance, knowing that he had said before he would take reasonable answers on essays, and put '_learning who to trust'_ instead. That done, she turned back to the regular portion of the test, feeling a lot more confident about it.

Finally she was ready to turn her test in…she was hardly the first, still struggling to remember some of the answers on the first part of the test and not quite sure she got it all right…but finally she felt she could do no better and handed it up, sitting back down and looking at Angela nervously. Angela, who had finished her test a few minutes before smiled at her questioningly, wondering how she did, and Essie shrugged slightly.

Snape didn't say a word, marking each page and seemingly taking his time about it, sometimes grimacing or making some other unpleasant face or shaking his head as he went through them in a displeased sort of manner. Finally, near the time for class to normally have gotten out, he stood up and began passing them out. Some of them he didn't comment on as he flung them on their tables, and on most of those sighs of relief went up. Every once in a while he shook his head slightly and frowned, and they knew they were in trouble, and others he'd make a comment on.

"Mr. Greisley…a valiant attempt as always on the multiple choice, although a couple of them surprised me. You're usually a bit better than that," he said thoughtfully. "A valiant attempt at your question as well, unfortunately it wasn't enough to save your life," he said with disappointment, handing him the test. "Better luck next time. Good thing this is only a class exercise; in real life you wouldn't get another chance. See you in the Houserooms," he added, going on to Tyler Jeffers beside him and shaking her head. "Rest in peace," Snape said, going on down the line. Finally he got to the Hufflepuffs, which for the most part turned out as Essie expected; Mick survived but Bianca didn't and so on, until he finally got to their table. "Miss Ames, survived, as usual," he said, handing her her paper. "And as for you, Miss Willowby," he said with a stern frown that made Essie quite nervous. "As usual you didn't really do so well on the multiple choice, but somehow, for the first time since I began these essays, you actually survived the test…barely," he said, looking at her steadily. "If you had acted any slower, you wouldn't have," he added, handing her back her test before heading towards the front. Essie broke into a glowing smile and Angela patted her back, excited they were both going to get to go.

"Very well, you all know your fates. I hope this will finally convince some of you that death can be painful," Severus said darkly. "Dismissed," he said, heading to stand near the door, watching them all carefully as they headed out. Essie and Angela were nearly the last to leave, and Essie was about ready to bolt down the hallway in the opposite direction as Greisley when Corey turned around the corner, his books in hand.

"There you are, I was hoping you'd be out about now," Corey smiled at her, putting an arm around his sister and walking with them up the hall. Victor and his friends watched them pass by suspiciously, but suddenly heard Severus clear his throat and decided to move along. "So, how did the test go, Essie? I know you were worried about it."

"I survived it," Essie said with a grin. "And you know what, Corey, I'm starting to understand why Snape is your favorite teacher now."

"Essie, I think surviving that test went to your head," Angela laughed as they headed down the hall. But Essie only smiled at her.

Behind them Jennifer came up the stairs and to where Severus was standing, looking over his shoulder as he watched the different groups of students heading down the hallways.

"Problem?" Jennifer asked curiously.

"Nothing out of the ordinary," Severus said. "Ready?"

"Whenever you are," Jennifer said cheerfully. "I can't wait to see everyone, this is going to be a fabulous night." But Severus frowned at that as he went back in to get his cloak and throw his books in his office. "What's wrong, Severus?"

"There hasn't been a Halloween in years when something hasn't happened. Even if we don't quite realize it first… like the year Caprica woke up," he said, closing his office. "I have a terrible feeling we are leaving ourselves open for some unknown tragedy."

"Can't you ever go to an event without forecasting gloom and doom? Really, Severus, you're getting to be almost as bad as Icarus. He at least has the excuse of being dead," she teased him.

"He doesn't like this either, Jennifer. All the apprentices are worried for some reason. I only hope they're not right this time," Severus said as they headed out the door.


	11. A Race Against Time

Chapter Eleven

A Race Against Time

Jennifer buttoned the cuffs on her new red velvet gown, taking one last look in the mirror.

"Hurry up, Severus, remember we do have door duty tonight," Jennifer said, pulling up her high collar. "Maybe this dress makes my hair look too red. What do you think?"

In the other sitting room, Severus was going through his cloak's chest, checking through everything before laying an old Tome on top, locking it back up again.

"I think you worry too much about such things," he said at last as he stood up, putting his cloak on over his Hogwarts robes before cutting through the bedroom to join her. "And I'm not going to fall for an obvious attempt at fishing for a complement," he added knowingly, closing the door. Jennifer pouted slightly. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine, wonderful," Jennifer sighed, putting her wand up her cuff. "Not a stomach flutter or a spell fizzle, either. Perhaps it didn't work this time," she added, looking over at him.

"It's much too soon to jump to that conclusion. But if you aren't, I dare think it's because you needed the break," Severus said expressionlessly, handing Jennifer her Chest Cloak.

"But Severus, I usually wear my Night Shroud for things like this…"

"I'd feel a lot better if you took your cloak," Severus insisted with a frown putting it on her shoulders himself. "Besides, the dark tone brings out the color in your eyes. Let's be off." Jennifer smiled at him lovingly as they headed out the door.

The Great Hall was decorated in orange and black jack-o-lanterns and wispy spider webs draping around the room. Several of the ghosts had already arrived, and Jennifer couldn't help but notice several paintings had somehow managed to find their way into the room as well, hanging between the fireplaces and along the far wall. Filius was already there, his band playing gently in the background. Minerva was there of course, along with Pomona Sprout, who had set up the table. Even Sibyl Trelawney had come down from her tower, standing nervously near the back door near the staff room.

"Good evening, Jennifer, Severus!" A voice said as the two of them moved to take their place by the door. Jennifer looked up to see her ancestor standing there with a smile, tapping a ghostly gentleman's cane.

"Good evening Janus!" Jennifer said, smiling warmly at him. She had quickly become quite fond of her ancestor… in many ways; he was very much like her father, although a bit more calculating and less temperamental. Still, when she spoke to him she often felt that she got a better glimpse of herself, for many of his traits had been carried through in the family in odd and curious ways. "Decided to join the festivities?"

"Well, it is the first living party here since the four of us got together. We could not resist coming. And there are some people coming tonight I really want to meet," Janus smiled. "Good evening." Jennifer waved to him then grimaced, glancing at Severus who was watching her carefully.

"I don't suppose we can't lock Ick away for the night," Jennifer muttered. Severus' lip twitched slightly.

"It's hard enough to lock Peeves away. You know what Argus had to go through to get him in a ghostproof box tonight," Severus reminded her. "I also seriously doubt after a thousand years at Azkaban that Ravenclaw could be locked away. He probably knows more tricks about such things than we do. Besides, perhaps it'll cheer him up a bit the way he's been carrying on lately." Jennifer gave Severus a dirty look, but before she could comment they heard voices approaching. With surprise she found herself looking at Norman Balmweed, accompanied by Brogan Tubbins and oddly enough, Draco Malfoy.

"Good evening, Vice Chairman, Mr. Tubbins, Draco, good to see you," Severus said with a courteous nod.

"Professors, good to see you again," Balmweed said. "How is everything? Is everything secure for the night?" he asked. Severus squinted at him, while Jennifer gazed in his face carefully.

"Why wouldn't it be?" Severus asked with a slight frown.

"Oh, well, with everything happening out there, one can't be too careful," Balmweed said in a low voice, sounding somewhat nervous. "In fact, I'm rather surprised that you're having a social event like this, considering everything that's been going on."

"If Hogwarts wasn't safe, we wouldn't be," Jennifer said, sounding slightly defiant. Balmweed smiled nervously.

"No offense meant, Professor Craw, of course…I'm sure with Dumbledore and you both here matters are well in hand," Balmweed said.

"And their guests," said someone from the doorway. Jennifer looked up to see Harry standing there with Ginny and Anna, grinning rather broadly at Jennifer from where he stood as the other three men turned around. "Good evening Jennifer, Severus. Malfoy," Harry said, the last said without much warmth. Ginny didn't look too thrilled to see Draco standing there either.

"Potter," Draco echoed warily.

"I trust everything's well with the Order of Equinox," Harry added politely.

"Yes, although a bit concerned about the matters of the last few months, as I trust the Order of Merlin is," Tubbins answered.

"But we're keeping you detained. We'll just join the party, I'm sure there will be plenty of time to speak tonight," Balmweed said quickly, bowing politely to them with a slight smile as they headed into the room.

"Sorry to hear about your magic," Draco added to Severus before he followed the other two inside.

"Who invited him?" Harry asked after they'd gone.

"Lucius is forbidden from school grounds, so Draco often comes to see Danny," Jennifer explained. "He's always stayed very civil, Harry," she assured him.

"Yes well, I hope you don't mind if I make sure he stays that way," Harry said, earning dirty looks from Ginny and Severus. "We're going to go sit with Hermione and Ron if you need me," Harry added with a smile.

"I thought you said we were here to have fun?" Ginny reminded Harry in a whisper as they began to walk away.

"No Sirius still?" Severus asked Anna as she passed by. Anna gave him a dirty look but didn't say anything, deciding to go talk to Minerva about something. Severus frowned after her, and Jennifer gazed back over at him.

"They still haven't made up?" Jennifer asked. "No wonder she's been avoiding me," she said with a sigh. "This is all my fault."

"Anna's forgiven your part in this and so should you. I have to admit, those two are definitely matched in their stubbornness, aren't they?" Severus mused.

"Yes, I don't know any other couple like that, do you?" Jennifer asked tauntingly. Severus smirked at her.

It was not long before Audi Belle and Moody showed up, Percy and Penelope Weasley, and then, to Jennifer's great surprise, Vallid and Erik, both smiling at them warmly.

"Lunette! What are you doing here?" Jennifer said with a grin.

"What, am I not allowed to come to Britain just to visit?" she laughed. "Actually, I had some business with Harry. Nice party. I am allowed to crash it I hope?"

"I'll speak for her if she isn't," Erik said mischievously.

"Truth Seekers are always welcome at Hogwarts," Jennifer grinned.

"Rather good policy if you ask me," Erik agreed, and the two of them went in. Not long after came Molly and Arthur, and with them Arnie Peasegood, Ederick Thurspire, and a woman who seemed very familiar to her, although she couldn't place her. She looked to be just a little older than Jennifer, staring at the ceiling and everything around her with open awe from where she was beside Ederick, and it wasn't until Anna suddenly came out of nowhere and grabbed her arm, dragging her away, that Jennifer finally realized who she was.

"Is that Anna's old Muggle friend, Megan?" Jennifer asked with surprise.

"Oh, is that where I recall her from. She threw a pitcher of water at me," Severus said with a scowl.

"Did she?" Ederick said with a bright smile. "I think I like her even more than ever!" Severus gave him a sour look that displayed just how unamused he was about that remark.

"When did you two become an 'item,' as it were?" Jennifer asked.

"Actually, I rather started flirting with her at the wedding. Although, well, she did have me convinced for a long time she knew nothing about our world. She had me playing Muggle for months," he said, chuckling good-naturedly although Jennifer could tell it had rather annoyed him. "Dumbledore said I could bring her," he added.

"That's good enough for me," Jennifer said with a nod, suspecting that Dumbledore probably thought it'd be good for Anna to see her, especially if she were as at odds with Sirius as Severus thought they were. Thurspire clicked his heels and bowed slightly, heading on in.

"Too bad Megan didn't come alone and leave him behind somewhere," Severus muttered, and Jennifer grinned at him. She wasn't too fond of the overzealous investigator either. Still, he had helped prove Severus was innocent in the trial against him, and that wouldn't be forgotten by either of them.

Jennifer heard a hollow giggle as Moaning Myrtle and Blue-Faced Noah floated past them, Noah looking around nervously.

"That's not water, that's punch, you won't be drowning in _that_," she explained to him. Jennifer chuckled and was about to make a comment to Severus when she noticed a figure on the other side of them and realized it was Viviane. All of the ghosts in the room had stopped to curtsey and bow, soon followed by the paintings. But just as the last time she came Viviane didn't seem to notice, walking straight over to where they were standing and giving them a curt nod.

"Severus, Jennifer. Playing door sentinels tonight, are we? Where's Dumbledore?" Jennifer looked up at Severus, trying to get an idea what his reaction to all this was.

"He hasn't come down yet. However, I don't recall anyone mentioning you were coming, so perhaps you're unexpected," Severus said, an almost questioning tone in his voice.

"Good, that's as it should be," she said simply, gazing around for her niece. "I believe I will go see Anna now," she added, and Jennifer looked over at Severus again.

"Now do you see what I mean?" Jennifer said.

"Wait here, I think I'm going to go keep my eye on her," Severus frowned.

"Be careful don't forget your magic…."

"I'm not likely to forget that," Severus said dryly, quickly heading to follow her. Halfway across the floor Viviane paused, obviously quite aware of Severus but also unconcerned about him, looking around for someone else. A moment later, Janus Craw came up, bowing gracefully.

"M'Lady, it is an honor to see you at Hogwarts again."

"Yes, yes, yes. Never mind that, I hear Icarus is here now. Fetch him and tell him I want words with him," Viviane said, glancing over her shoulder. "In private."

"Of course, Viviane," Janus said, turning around and abruptly fading away as Viviane continued towards Anna.

"Tell me, Aunt Viv, how exactly do you know Icarus Ravenclaw?" Severus asked, stepping to her side when it was obvious she was aware of him behind her.

"Severus, dear, I think you have more important problems to worry about tonight," Viviane said, glancing sideways at him. "Once you have them straightened out, perhaps we'll talk then. Anna?"

Anna, who had been in a deep discussion with Megan; suddenly stood as her Aunt came near, wiping off her cheeks. She had been crying, Severus realized with alarm, wondering what on earth was going on that she would do something like that in public.

"And what exactly, may I ask, did you do with that husband of yours?" Viviane asked testily.

"What do you mean what did I do with him?" Anna asked.

"You know perfectly well what I mean. Whatever he did to make you send him away like that I suggest you get over it," Viviane said impatiently.

"Look, it's not up to me, Sirius just hasn't come back," Anna said, obviously upset. Viviane rolled her eyes.

"Of course he hasn't, you silly girl! Don't you realize what you…" Suddenly she paused and looked around. Severus followed her gaze to see Icarus floating in from the wall with Janus close behind.

"Hello, Viviane, I've been expecting you," Icarus said calmly. Viviane looked at him with wary dislike. "What brings you to our humble hall this evening?"

"If you knew to be expecting me, you know why I'm here," Viviane snapped at him. "I see that your plan went about the way _I_ expected," she added with a thin mocking smile.

"As if yours is doing any better," Icarus said icily, turning around and heading for the wall. "Follow me, if you want to chat about it," he said as he floated through the wall. Scowling in annoyance, Viviane stomped over to the door, muttering to herself.

Severus stared at her in complete confusion trying to make some sense out of what just happened. Then, Dumbledore appeared in the back doorway, stepping out of Viviane's way with a look of complete amusement as he stepped into the Great Hall. Severus then turned towards where Anna had been sitting, but she and her friend were no longer there, apparently having moved when her aunt became distracted. Slightly frustrated, Severus decided to take the most sensible route and headed over to Dumbledore.

"Headmaster, would you mind explaining to me who that Viviane woman is, and why she thinks she has the right to go anywhere she wants in this school?"

"Calm down, Severus, it's quite all right," Dumbledore said. "And you already know who she is. She's Anna's Aunt."

"How many generations removed?" Severus demanded. Dumbledore looked at Severus over his glasses. "She spoke to Icarus as if they were old adversaries."

"Anyone who goes against Viviane is an adversary, Severus, whether it is for good or ill. But I assure you, she is no threat to this school," he said calmly.

"So what you're telling me is that you trust her?" Severus asked. Dumbledore paused thoughtfully.

"No," Dumbledore said. "But she couldn't care less about us, and I dare say we would probably be better off if we cared less about her," Dumbledore said with a smile, walking further into the room. Severus stood there looking after him with his hands on his hips, a look of complete bewilderment on his face. Grimacing in pure exasperation, Severus went back over to Jennifer.

"So, did you learn anything?" Jennifer asked him curiously.

"Yes, I learned that sometimes it's better to mind my own business," Severus muttered.

Soon after he returned the students were let in, later years first, and Severus and Jennifer were able to step back as the hall filled up with people. With all the guests were accounted for, Pomona stepped in to take over at the door so the two of them could relax a bit. Jennifer waved to Corey across the room where he was sitting with his sister and Angela, while his friends Danny and Taylor were on the dance floor, along with Doug who was dancing with Gail Sisna.

Corey, playing the perfect gentlemen, headed over to the punchbowl, holding out three cups as a crystal ladle poured punch into each one and then headed back over, handing them to the girls before he sat back down.

"How did Doug end up dancing with Gail?" Angela asked curiously as she sipped her spiced pumpkin punch, glancing at Corey.

"Doug decided not to take a date," Corey explained. "He figures that way he can dance with whoever he wants without any of the girls getting mad at him."

"I wish I had a date," Essie said glumly.

"Nonsense, dates are overrated," Angela snorted. "And so is dancing for that matter."

"I thought you told me the other day you had a date?" Essie asked curiously.

"Well, yeah, I did," Angela admitted glumly. "Figures that the first time mister head-of the-class Greisley decides to fail a test it'd be the one right before the ball," she muttered.

Corey and Essie stared at her.

"I'm never going to understand girls," Corey decided. "Come on, Essie, I swear you're the only sensible girl here," he said, dragging her out on the dance floor. But it wasn't very long after they got out on the dance floor when they, and quite a lot of other students in fact, were distracted by the commanding presence of Professor Snape and his wife out on the dance floor.

Jennifer didn't need levitating shoes any more to float across the room. From the moment he took her arm she felt as if time itself had stood still, only the music a reminder that it hadn't. Instantly her thoughts were transported to the first night they had danced, the night she first suspected that Severus had felt anything for her at all. Severus, it seemed, was thinking of the dancing lessons, which she couldn't help but smile at that. She had been a terrible student, and for all he had tried, he was hardly a patient teacher. But as much as they had stumbled over each other at first, improving little by little, it was nice to finally reach one flowing harmonious movement, like an outward symbol of the changes their own relationship had gone through. It wasn't until after the song had ended that Jennifer realized how much they were being gawked at and took a step away, suddenly remembering where they were.

"You look a bit flushed, care for a drink?" Severus asked, a mischievous glint nearly hidden behind his black eyes.

"You know, I really think you enjoy shocking the students like that," Jennifer accused him as they headed over to the punch bowl. Viviane, standing near the table took a few steps out of the way, watched them thoughtfully as she found a place to stand near the back wall.

"Whatever gave you that idea?" Severus asked in an even voice, Jennifer shaking his head at him.

"You know what I mean. Mean sour old Defense Professor Snape suddenly turning into a human being on the dance floor," Jennifer teased.

"How dare you accuse me of being human?" he challenged her back. "And what is this 'old' thing?"

"I meant older…"

"That's not what you said," Severus said tapping his fingers on the punch table as several students sidled away, seeing the look on his face. Severus took up the silver ladle and poured them each a cup, still giving her an accusing look.

"Besides, I was speaking of what the students think, not what I think," Jennifer said, taking a glass.

"In that case, I want to know what you think," Severus said with a sinister smile, giving her the cup. But as she was thinking of an answer, Severus was suddenly distracted by a strange murmur in the crowd.

"Jennifer, STOP!" Dumbledore said in an urgent tone. But before Severus could figure out what it was that Dumbledore had wanted her to stop, Jennifer had taken a sip of the punch. She immediately felt out of breath and her head began to spin before she tumbled to the ground. Severus dropped his cup and fell to her side, aware of a blaze of white light hitting Jennifer from the side as Vallid appeared right beside Icarus, her wand pointed at Jennifer and her face as white as a sheet. "Severus! Get Sagittari to the hospital wing at once!" he ordered. Severus didn't have to be told twice, running out of the room. "Harry, Audi, secure that refreshment table! Vallid, help me get her out of here, and someone get Francis Pyther! Jennifer has been poisoned!"

No one could miss the desperate urgency in Dumbledore's voice; especially Anna who came running up just as the nearest door came crashing open and Jennifer was sped out. Anna followed close behind and was immediately aware that she wasn't in the corridor to the Great Hall at all, but right outside the hospital wing, running in to find the door of the backroom shut and many excited people standing there with her, trying to figure out what was going on. A moment later Anna heard a clopping noise as Sagittari burst into the room with Severus right on his heels. As Sagittari went in, Poppy Pomfrey came out of the back, yelling insistently.

"Out! Out! Everyone out at once, except you and you," Poppy said pointing to Anna and Severus.

"Anything I can do?" Minerva asked her face lined with worry.

"Find Corey Willowby," Poppy said gravely, shutting the door. A moment later the back door was opened again and they hurriedly brought Jennifer back out, laying her on one of the beds.

"What's going on, why is she back out here?" Severus snapped.

"How much time did we buy, Doctor?" Dumbledore said, his sharp voice alarming Severus even more.

"An hour at most, much less than that before the poison gets to the child…mere minutes," Sagittari said, tension in his voice. "Even Cosmic Sleep doesn't slow it enough to protect her against a poison this fast, even after a purge. The antidote for this would surely kill the child. Can't you use the last resort?"

"I can, but then we have the same problem. If I give her the Elixir, the baby would never develop, and that just as surely would lead to her death," Dumbledore said, turning to Severus, who had turned deathly pale, suddenly having trouble standing. "Severus, Jennifer is dying. We've drained as much of the poison that we could, but it is fast and only a trace amount is needed to kill. Her immune system is weak and she's too tired to fight this on her own. She is six weeks pregnant," he said, his voice gentle now but firm. "We cannot save them both."

"Why, why now when I don't have any magic to do anything about it?" Severus said suddenly furious at himself. "I wish for her to be well again!" he pleaded, putting every ounce of his desire in it. Dumbledore stood quickly, putting his hands on Severus' shoulders.

"Even if you had your power, if she were meant this fate, it wouldn't work," Dumbledore said quietly. "We need to do what we can to save Jennifer." Slowly Severus nodded, a look of pure grief on his face. Why did he ever let her talk him into not waiting, despite his concerns? If she survived, she would be devastated, and if she didn't…

"Wait, wait please," Anna said suddenly, stepping up.

"Wait, what wait? Save Jennifer!" Severus shouted. But Anna put a hand on him.

"We can save them both," Anna said back firmly. "Let me carry the baby for awhile. Rachel did it for Ravenclaw, I know there has to be a way to do it."

"Anna, what you're speaking of is very risky, although it may be possible," Dumbledore said glancing at Sagittari, who nodded.

"Wait a minute, Dame Rachel died doing this, or have we forgotten that?" Severus barked.

"Only by having the baby. I'm only going to carry it until she can handle it," Anna said. "We don't have time to argue about this, I'm doing it."

"Anna, this may endanger your other children…" Sagittari warned.

"Children? Plural?" Severus demanded.

"Severus, you do need to calm down," Dumbledore said, closing his eyes. "Poppy."

"I'm not arguing anymore, there's no time," Anna said, lying down in the next bed, beginning to glow.

Poppy came up to Severus, firmly leading him back a bit as Jennifer too began to glow, and Dumbledore seemed to fall into a trance. At first the glow seemed to be equal of each other, but then slowly the glow around Anna grew and the one around Jennifer dimmed until it disappeared altogether.

"Professor?" Sagittari asked impatiently.

"It's done," Dumbledore said gently, checking on Anna as Sagittari turned his attention to Jennifer and making her imbibe the antidote. "How are you feeling, Anna?"

"Full," Anna said simply. "I think the baby's alright," she added after a moment.

"And the twins?" Dumbledore asked.

"Confused," Anna said.

"I've given her the antidote, Dumbledore," Sagittari sighed, putting down the empty phial. "But I still do not know if she's strong enough to survive."

"Then perhaps it's time for some added insurance," Dumbledore said. From out of his robes the Headmaster took out a clear phial, filled with a glistening liquid that seemed to shimmer with its own light, refracting out of the phial and filling the air around it with prisms. "This is the third time I've had to give her one of these since she's been at Hogwarts, Severus. At the rate she's going, she's going to outlive us both," he said as he carefully cast the imbibe spell and the liquid slowly drained from the bottle at her lips.

"Let us hope so," Severus said, shakily sitting in the chair by her side grasping her cold hand. "I cannot possibly bear losing her."

"Do not kiss her," Sagittari warned him. "It'll be dangerous waking her yet, Elixir or no."

"Could you have made this any more difficult if had you tried?" Severus snapped.

"It could have been, Severus," Dumbledore said distantly, and then gazed back down at Jennifer once more before getting up to take care of the matters at hand.

Icarus, who had been hovering in the front of the room for some time, followed Dumbledore out as he headed down the corridor towards McGonagall's office. He was reliving a vision that he had seen from someone else's eyes of a house of cards falling, as well as the part Trelawney had not spoken of, of the house suddenly rebuilding itself just to fall all over again…but the second time around, a golden sleeved hand had appeared, steadying the bottom tier before the last card could fall.

"Are you ever going to tell them what you had to do to save her?" Icarus asked.

"No, they don't need to know that," Dumbledore said calmly. "I only wish I had not been in the Great Hall so long. Perhaps if I had left a bit sooner the first time around, then I could have come in sooner and stopped her from even taking it."

"At least they'll survive now, and you can forget about what you saw the first time around," Icarus said.

"Yes, I believe I shall be spending some time at my Pensieve before the night is done," Dumbledore agreed wearily. "But whether they survive or not is still left to be seen. I may have only postponed the inevitable. Cheating death is one thing, cheating fate is quite another."

"Jennifer wasn't supposed to die, Professor. Ask Viviane if you don't believe me," Icarus said.

"It's quite all right, Icarus, I trust you," Dumbledore said with a smile. "If I didn't, we wouldn't all be heading to Minerva's office to tell Corey that everything is going to be all right."

"And what of the assassin? What will be done about that?" Icarus asked.

"I trust Harry will get to the bottom of that," Dumbledore said, the sharp tone in his voice betraying the fury he felt over what had happened. "I dare say I don't trust myself with it right now."


	12. The Cursed Ladle

Chapter Twelve

The Cursed Ladle

Chaos had broken out shortly after Dumbledore had left, and the professors hurried to call the students to order, asking the prefects to gather them by house. Harry wasted no time heading over to the table, Audi and Moody right behind him. Harry cast a spell over the punchbowl, which glowed a bright green in response.

"Nothing in there, it must have been in her cup," he said. Audi had stooped over to pick them up, carefully smelling what was left of Jennifer's drink, glowing green as well, putting a tiny bit on her fingers.

"This doesn't seem to be tampered with either," Audi said.

"Looks can be deceiving, Audi, dear. It wouldn't be easy for anyone to get near someone like Jennifer Craw without being noticed," Mad-eye Moody said. "Unless it was planned out well in advance. Perhaps the poison we're looking for was designed specifically to kill her alone. In which case, many of us might have been drinking poison tonight and just not known it."

"But wouldn't that have still shown up with a poison detection spell?" Audi asked.

"Wait a minute," Harry said, staring at the punchbowl. Lying inside was a silver ladle with an ornate handle. "That wasn't the ladle we were using before. It was crystal," he said, slipping on some gloves and gingerly removing it from the punch.

"Look Harry," Ron said from behind the table. "Here's the crystal one," he said, pointing under the table. Hermione, who had come up beside them was looking over his shoulder at the one Harry was holding.

"Those markings on the handle, that crest looks familiar," she said.

"It's the Craw family crest, I recognize the motto," Harry said at last. "This is the Queen's Ladle! The one the Ministry has been looking for!"

"If that's the Queen's Ladle, it's been tampered with," Audi said. "The original curse was to kill anyone except a Craw. Now it's working the opposite."

Just then, Arthur Weasley made his way over the excited people gathering around, trying to hear what was going on.

"The room is secured, no one is coming or leaving yet," Arthur said firmly. "Moody, would you mind clearing some room around the table?"

"All right folks, you heard the Minister, everyone get back," Moody said, shooing them back as Arthur moved in closer to get a better look.

"Good lord, that's the Queen's Ladle, isn't it?" Arthur said. "It could have killed everyone!"

"Yes, only someone altered it so it'd only kill its owners, the Craws," Harry said.

"Well, there was little doubt there would be only one Craw here," Audi said, sounding angry. "This wasn't just attempted murder, this was an attempted assassination."

Harry's gaze fell on Malfoy, standing near the Slytherins, talking to Amadeus, Roger and Casper. Without another word he strode over, ignoring Audi's warning not to do anything too hasty. Draco glanced up as Harry came over and warily waved the three he was talking with to step back into line. Danny frowned, taking a step back.

"Do you recognize this?" Harry asked, holding the Ladle out.

"No," Draco said, "Why, what makes you think that I should?"

"It was taken from your father's house five years ago on a raid, and then was stolen while Anna Black was bringing it back. Strange for it to turn up again here at Hogwarts of all places?" Harry asked.

"Look, Auror Potter," Draco said with undisguised contempt. "If you want to accuse me of something, do it, since it seems in your nature to accuse me of everything. But I'm going to laugh if whoever did this kills someone else while you're busy trying to peg this on me." Harry took a threatening step forward and Draco made a movement as if going for his wand when Vallid stepped between them, putting a hand on Harry's shoulder.

"Harry, he didn't do it," Vallid said firmly, making him look over at her.

"There, you heard the Truth Seeker," Draco said. "I suggest you back off before you make me have to defend myself. Wouldn't that look good in the papers, the great Potter losing his cool in front of a thousand people," he said tauntingly.

"Fine, but I'm watching you, Draco. Remember that," Harry said in a low voice, allowing Vallid to lead him back towards the table.

"Harry, I've checked everyone in the room. As far as I can tell, no one here directly attempted to kill her. In fact, most of them seem extremely angry that this happened. If we don't work to keep our tempers, the place may likely go up like a bomb," Vallid warned him.

"Sorry, Lunette. It's just too much coincidence for my liking, this Ladle was in Malfoy hands."

"Lucius' hands, not Draco's. Look, I know Draco is anything but pleasant, and he can be a pain in the ass in his own right, but I don't think he has the motive to kill Jennifer."

"What about his father's trial? And Severus' betrayal, what of that?" Harry asked.

"Harry, for once I think your emotions are getting in the way," Lunette said gently. "Whoever attempted to kill Jennifer did it for a very specific reason. Find out what that is, and you'll be one step closer to tracking down who did it."

Just then someone came to the front doors and the Ministry officers let Minerva through, drawing attention from around the room. Her face was lined with worry as she scanned the students and hastily headed towards the Gryffindor side.

"Mr. Willowby, would you come with me, please?" Minerva said. A soft gasp of surprise and concern could be heard among the rest of the students as Corey numbly walked out of the crowd, his face pale as he stepped over to her. Minerva put an arm around him, quickly walking him out of the room, talking to him quietly.

"Doug, you don't think she's…" Gail whispered quietly, a fearful look on her face. Some of the younger girls had started to cry softly.

"I hope not," Doug said, gazing over to where Taylor and Danny stood, both with lost expressions on their faces.

It wasn't long after that the students were taken to their dorms, as the rest of the guests gathered around Vallid, Arthur and Harry, giving and getting as much information as they possibly could before leaving. Only Vallid happened to notice when Viviane slipped out of the room.

* * *

It wasn't until the next morning that Corey was allowed into the hospital wing. Early morning sunlight poured through the windows as he stepped into the room with McGonagall, but things still seemed dreary somehow. He saw his dad first, sitting by his mom's bed and reading out loud out of a book. She seemed quite pale and eerily still, frighteningly so…in fact, he would have mistaken her for dead if it hadn't been for his dad's actions. Beside them, sitting up in bed, sat Anna, reading her own book and looking quite bored with being in bed. But the oddest thing that Corey noted was the door to the back room, for it had been completely covered with locks of all different sorts and all different sizes and shapes of keyholes. As they came near, Severus paused his reading, nodding gently to them, his expression tired.

"Corey and McGonagall are here now," Severus explained to Jennifer.

"How is she?" Minerva asked.

"Weak," Severus said, "But stronger than before. Doctor Sagittari is going to wait another day before we try waking her and putting her under a normal Sleeping Potion."

"And how are you, Anna?"

"I'm ready to get out of this bed," she admitted, "but Sagittari insisted I stay until he was sure everything was all right."

"I will be ready for you to get out of here as well," Minerva admitted with an almost stern smile. "Four teachers out in one day is more than I like to juggle. But then, Dumbledore decided to cancel all classes for the day anyhow. Too many Aurors and Ministry investigators about poking into things."

"Four teachers?" Corey wondered, staring at the door again.

"Yes, Pyther has taken ill as well," Severus said quickly. "But Sagittari said he'd be back to normal in a couple of days. Professor, as soon as Jennifer is stable…"

"You may take as long as you need, Severus," Minerva assured him. "Harry has volunteered to help with your class as long as you need him, and I'm sure Hermione can manage Potions for a little while. Now, I have some things to take care of. I'm sure Dumbledore and Harry will be down to tell you how the investigation is going."

"Whoever did this had better pray Harry finds them before I do," Severus said, a low growl in his voice.

"Odd, that's about what Dumbledore said as well," Minerva said with a serious smile and a nod, leaving the room.

"What are you reading?" Corey asked quietly.

"Tennyson," Severus said. Corey made a face. "Cosmic Sleep leaves the person cursed with it aware of things happening around her, so I have been attempting to keep her distracted."

"So she can hear us?" Corey said, and Severus nodded slowly. "Can I talk to her, then?" he asked quietly. Severus nodded and went over to the other side of Anna, the two of them gazing over as Corey took Jennifer's hand murmuring quietly to her.

"She's going to pull through this, Severus," Anna assured him after a moment. "Sagittari and Dumbledore, and Pyther for that matter, have done everything in their power to make sure of that."

"I know," Severus said quietly. "I still can't help but wonder if there couldn't have been something I could have done, something I could have noticed to prevent this. I also should never have kept to that silly schedule when I knew it was taxing her strength."

"Severus, Jennifer wanted a child this year. In fact, knowing her it was probably some master plan to make sure we both had some kids the same age," she said. Severus snorted lightly at that.

"There may be some truth in that," he admitted.

"There's always some truth in anything about her," Anna chuckled. "But then she is such a terrible liar."

"Everyone has their faults," Severus said. "Speaking of which, where is Sirius? He's going to need to know about this." Anna became subdued. "After all, those children are not only yours –"

"Don't remind me," Anna snapped closing her eyes and rubbing her head. But Severus just waited patiently for her to open her eyes again, looking at her steadily. "I got mad and sent him away and told him not to come near me the day I found out I was pregnant. I haven't seen him since. I've just been staying at the flat."

"Why didn't you tell anyone?"

"Dumbledore, Minerva and Harry know, but I told them to stay out of it," Anna said, sounding frustrated. "I don't get it, I thought, well…I didn't mean for him to go away for this long," she said, trying not to sound upset. "He probably got fed up with my temper and just doesn't want to come back."

"How did you send him away?" Severus asked, squinting suspiciously.

"I don't know, I just…sent him away," Anna said, and Severus eyes glittered with realization, sighing and then grimacing. He stood up then and went back to his chair, grabbing his cloak as Corey looked up at him curiously. "Where are you going?"

"To talk to him," Severus said. "Harry hasn't been able to get a moment away from here since last night and someone has to tell Sirius what's going on before the paper arrives. Here Corey, finish reading this to her while I'm gone," he said, handing him his book.

"But…but this is poetry! And I'll have it stuck in my memory the rest of my life!" Corey protested.

"Good. Finish it." Severus said in a voice that breeched no argument, before he headed out the door. Corey sighed and looked over at Jennifer.

"I hope you know I wouldn't do this for any other girl but you," Corey told her, moving the gold snake bookmark out of the way halfway through the _Idylls of the King_.

* * *

Albus Dumbledore was having a very disagreeable morning, barely able to keep order in his own study as excited wizards and witches who were worried about Jennifer, and the school, and the children kept a constant pace in and out of his office. He had finally dismissed everyone else when Harry came in to update him.  
"We still don't know who brought the Ladle in, but it must have been someone who dropped it in and left before anything happened. That means they also probably left before they found out she survived," Harry said.

"And the newspaper?" Albus asked.

"Ron got the editor to agree to your proposal," Harry said with a nod. "In fact, Ron actually wrote the retraction before he wrote the article itself." Albus broke into an almost dangerous smile.

"Well done, Harry. Hopefully it'll prove quite enlightening," Dumbledore said. Just then there was a knock at the door and Minerva came in, with a rolled newspaper in her hand, looking rather disturbed.

"Here it is, Albus," Minerva said quietly. "And I've asked the owls to withhold outgoing post on a student level, just as you requested."

"Good, good," Dumbledore said, unrolling the paper to read the headline_: Famous Hogwarts Professor Dies from Poisoning; Ministry Rules as Murder. _"That should turn some heads, I think. My goodness, she's accumulated quite a list of accomplishments over the years, hasn't she," Dumbledore added, reading down the article before looking at Harry over the paper. "Ron has become quite a talented writer. You can tell him I said so," he added with a wink. Harry grinned at him.

"It won't take long for people to realize she's not dead, even withholding student post," Minerva said.

"Yes, but in the meantime, amid the rumors, we may see the consequences that whoever attempted to kill Jennifer wanted to happen," Dumbledore explained. "Perhaps then we can gain some insight to who has done this."

It was not long after Harry had left that afternoon and Dumbledore had sat down to try and get a spare moment to relax that Minerva came back, the look on her face as she slipped in the door speaking volumes.

"I'm sorry, Professor Dumbledore, but Vice Chairman Balmweed is here to see you, along with Thurspire and, well…" Minerva hesitated but Dumbledore stood up, a flash in his eyes. "Apparently he believes he has a valid legal reason for being here. Shall I take them down to the other study?"

"No, show them in," Dumbledore said, steadily watching the door as Minerva went to get them. A moment later, the three men stepped in, and Dumbledore's eyes immediately fell on Lucius Malfoy. "Welcome Balmweed, Thurspire. Malfoy, I seem to recall forbidding you from entering this castle."

"I am here to regain a piece of property that is now in your possession," Lucius said. "Where is the Tome?"

"Safe at the moment," Dumbledore said.

"With all due respect, Professor, I think over the last two months it has been proven this castle is not safe at all," Balmweed said sternly. "Imps trying to capture teachers, professors magic failing, and now what happened last night. In fact, I believe that the presence of these dangerous artifacts in the school only serves to bring more risks on the students. This is a school, it should not be a haven for such artifacts. That's what the Ministry is for."

"I see," Dumbledore said. "And I take it from artifacts you mean more than just the Tome?"

"The Tome was stolen from Malfoy and is now by all rights his, especially after having to square away countless fines for not licensing it with the Ministry. But the Cauldron is another matter. Now that Professor Craw is dead, it needs to be protected, and I don't believe that the school now has the capacity to do so," Balmweed said. "It should be returned to the Ministry."

"So, before even twenty four hours have even past and her family, let alone before the world has truly begun to understood the great loss it has taken, you are here to rob her grave and take from her one of the things she risked her life to retrieve?" Dumbledore asked. His voice was calm but there was no hiding the anger in his eyes and Balmweed hesitated in the uneasy silence that followed.

It was so quiet in fact that it took Ederick a moment to realize why. He looked up at the paintings thoughtfully then decided to back towards the door.

"Professor, my concern is only for the welfare of this school, The sooner we move the Cauldron and the Tome away from here, the safer it'll be," Balmweed explained. "We must think about the students at times like this."

"And if something befell Doctor Sagittari today, would you be back for the Spear?" Dumbledore asked, the anger increasing in his voice. "And the next, if I were to fall, would you be back for the Sword?"

"No one would ever take the Sword from this school Professor," Balmweed protested, putting up his hands as Dumbledore stood.

"Yes, quite right, nor will you be taking any of the other parts of the Callum's Seal either, board recommendation or no. As for the Tome, I no longer possess it, and the person guarding it would sooner destroy it than have it fall to the wrong hands. You will have to take it by force," Dumbledore said, looking directly at Malfoy, who squinted at him.

"I will have my Tome back, one way or the other," Malfoy assured Dumbledore coldly.

"I am quite sure you will try," Dumbledore said with a smile that all three of them found disturbing. With one last glare, Malfoy turned around and left, followed by Balmweed. Thurspire hesitated as if going to say something before Balmweed called him again, and he frowned stepping out of the office.

Dumbledore sat back down, suddenly tired, folding his fingers together as he looked across to the door, lost in thought. Apparently, he wasn't the only one who was tired, for the paintings around him had begun to snore again.


	13. Vigilance

Chapter Thirteen

Vigilance

A gentle but firm knock sounded off the front door of the Black mansion. Sirius slowly stood, dropping the newspaper in his hand and walking numbly over to the door, cautiously opening it. Seeing who was on the other side, Sirius suddenly flung the door open and embraced Severus tightly to the other wizard's utmost surprise, blubbering out sincere condolences while Severus attempted with some difficulty to wrench him off.

"Sirius…"

"I can't believe she's gone! I swear who ever did this is…"

"Sirius!"

"Just tell me what I can do, and I'll do it, just name it," Sirius insisted, hugging him tighter.

"Sirius!" Severus shouted in his ear. "Jennifer isn't dead!" Sirius stopped and stared at him. "Dumbledore just had that in so we could get some clue who the murderer is. Now get away from me!"

Sirius, who suddenly realized what he was doing and whom he was hugging, made a noise of pure revulsion and jumped way back, brushing himself off as if attempting to completely erase what had just happened.

"Are you quite through acting like a complete idiot yet?" Severus snapped.

"Well, how was I to know? I've been out of the loop lately…"

"Yes, so we've noticed, it's been nice to have you out of my hair for security."

"Yes, I can see how well you've been doing, too," Sirius said. The freezing look that Severus gave him was filled with anger, but even Sirius could see it wasn't entirely directed at him. "Sorry, I shouldn't have said that."

"No, you're right, I should have been doing my job, as futile as that is without magic," Severus said. "Be that as it may, I'm here to talk about Anna rather than anything else. She seems to be under the impression you have abandoned her," he explained, closing the door.

"She what?" Sirius said, hands on his hips. "Severus, I swear, I haven't been able to get anywhere near her. Any time I get close I get pushed away somehow, or find I am somewhere I didn't intend on going."

"Yes, I know," Severus mused. "She wanted you to go away and you did, only now she doesn't know how to stop it. It's almost as if becoming pregnant has strengthened her powers instead of weakened them. And now that she's carrying ours as well, it's probably not helping matters any."

"Wait, back up, explain what you just said," Sirius said, growing alarmed. Severus walked into the next room and sat down, giving Sirius an account of everything that had happened. It didn't take long for Sirius to figure out they were going to have to find a way to get him back.

* * *

After lunch that afternoon Corey reappeared in the Great Hall, and as usual when anything was going on, everyone was huddled around him, wanting to hear the latest on how Professor Craw was doing. Several students jumped from their normal houses to join, not the least of which was Essie, sitting next to her brother.

"I know what the paper said, but it's not true. Of course, she does look dead, but that's because she's in an induced coma. They put her in Cosmic Sleep to stabilize her. With any luck, Dad's going to wake her up soon, but they still don't know how long she's going to be in there. Could even be weeks," Corey explained.

"I say, I wonder what they would have done if she couldn't have been put under that spell? Or what if something happens to Snape in the meantime," Perry asked.

"Nothing's going to happen. He's been sticking fairly close to the castle these days. Harry of course has taken over the case. And some of the best Aurors in the world besides him were here last night. Whoever did it will be caught," Corey said.

"I hope so, it's rather scary to think of someone just able to walk into Hogwarts and do something like that," Gail said. Essie couldn't help but agree, nodding quietly.

"It just means that we need to be more vigilant then," Perry said. "I think one thing we've learned this year is that the professors can't always protect us. If we want the school to be safe, we need to keep alert ourselves. We may be just students, but we shouldn't use that as an excuse to sit and do nothing."

"Talking from experience Perry, teachers don't really like it when we take matters into our own hands," Doug said.

"Well, I don't mean like the way _you_ four have been handling it," Perry said sternly. "I mean rather when we see something odd we tell someone, and if we can do something and they can't in an emergency, we do it. Besides, if magic is going out like some people think, I'd like to think I put something I learned in the last five and a half years to use before it fizzles out." A lot of the other students nodded their heads in agreement. "And I don't mean just Gryffindors either," he added, looking over to Taylor, Danny, and Julie Brim. "The whole school needs to start paying attention to what's going on and be prepared to jump in when needed."

"I think you can count at least on the other prefects encouraging that," Julie said.

"Corey, when are the rest of us going to be able to visit her?" Essie asked.

"Well, Poppy said as soon as she's waking up occasionally and they can put her back in the private room again. Madame Black's going to be released today, and Poppy said that Pyther might be well enough to teach next week's class, so I doubt he'll be in there too much longer. But I guess nobody knows for sure with Mom," Corey explained. " I'm sure I can talk to them about letting you up, Essie. After all, you're family."

"That's alright, Corey. Actually, I have something to do," Essie said, getting up. It really wasn't worth bothering anyone about, after all she wasn't exactly family, and yet, in many ways she had felt as close to Jennifer as she ever had with her Aunt after spending so much time there over the summer. Quietly she headed to the hospital wing, and glancing around to make sure no one was watching turned into a mouse, scurrying in under the door.

"All right, Anna, you can go, but take it easy. If you have any strange pains or blackouts, I want you to come straight to my office. And no Apparating, use the floo powder."

"I've been Apparating fine up to this point."

"You may harm the children, now I must insist you'll have to use alternate means of transportation," Sagittari said sternly. Anna nodded, but looked somewhat annoyed. "And keep off your feet as much as possible."

"Make up your mind, do you want me to stop Apparating, or do you want me off my feet?" Anna said, taking the potions he had offered her. "Thanks, Doctor," she said, and Essie scurried under one of the empty beds as Anna made her way out of the room. Taking a moment to check on Jennifer, Sagittari left as well, and Essie crept out from under the bed and across the floor, somehow managing to climb up onto the bedpost, looking down at her.

She was so very still! Just like Corey had said, Essie thought, and yet Sagittari had just checked on her as if nothing was wrong. But it was very odd to see her not even looking as if she were breathing at all. Suddenly there was a shadow behind her, and the mouse turned around quite startled to see Dumbledore sitting down beside the bed, smiling gently at her.

"Hello, Professor. I see you have company," Dumbledore said, patting the Jennifer's hand before looking up at the mouse. "Don't worry, she's quite alright. In fact, she is doing very well. We are only waiting for Professor Snape to get back, and then she will finally be able to get the dreamless rest she needs to make a full recovery and get back to teaching."

Just then Severus came in, sighing loudly as he flung off his cloak and tossed it into the chair next to Dumbledore, looking almost embarrassed.

"Well?"

"Well, you were correct about the magic problem. I have full use of my spells again," Severus said. "And I was able to get Sirius back into the same room as Anna, but as far as what they do from that point is none of my concern."

"That's as it should be," Dumbledore nodded with a smile. It was just then as Severus turned to Jennifer that he noticed the mouse attempting to sneak down the bedpost out of view.

"What is she doing in here?" Severus asked, frowning as the mouse froze in its place.

"Who? Jennifer?" Dumbledore asked innocently.

"The mouse, don't you know that's –"

"That's just a friend of mine, Severus, she was only paying her respects to Jennifer."

"But the mouse is –"

"I'm sure the mouse doesn't mean any harm, and as far as I'm concerned as long as Jennifer doesn't mind she can come up and visit from time to time." Dumbledore said, eyeing Severus, waiting to have to cut him off again. But Severus had finally gotten the hint, frowning slightly as Dumbledore glanced around to see the mouse slip back under the door.

"You know she has to be registered," Severus said, wondering why Dumbledore was helping her hide what she was doing.

"Not until she's caught," Dumbledore said, turning back around.

Essie scurried down the hall, trying to find a place to turn back to normal. But with classes out for the day, there were a lot of students lingering in the halls, and somehow she finally gave up and managed to head towards the abandoned classroom that her brother often went to with his friends for some privacy. Unfortunately as she got near she saw the door ajar, and realized they were using it at that very moment. Before she could turn around they came out of it, stopping right outside the door.

"Cheshire should be back soon so I'll know if I can go back up to the hospital wing or not," Corey said. "He really is good about getting messages about around the castle."

"Almost as good as our owls for that," Danny agreed.

"And a lot easier to clean up after," Taylor added.

"I think I'd rather have an owl," Doug sighed. "But right now I'd settle for anything."

"What was your last familiar, Doug?" Danny asked.

"A turtle," Doug admitted reluctantly.

"A turtle? You had a turtle familiar run away from home?" Taylor said, grinning in spite of himself. "No wonder your parents won't let you have another one."

"Hey, I wonder who has a mouse?" Doug said. Essie suddenly found herself cornered by a pair of hands and looking in Doug's face, blinking at him in surprise.

"No one in Gryffindor. I would have noticed," Corey said.

"It's not anyone in Slytherin, they wouldn't stoop to that," Danny said.

"It's not anyone in Ravenclaw," Taylor shrugged.

"It's probably just a wild mouse, Doug. I don't think Hufflepuff has one or I'd have heard about it by now. Essie is really squeamish about mice."

"Yes, but, there's nothing wild about it. He's just sitting in my hand looking at me. You know, I wonder if even the mice in this castle don't pick up magic tendencies," Doug said.

"They'd almost have to, to stay a step ahead of all the cats and owls here, let alone Rasputin," Corey said.

"Well, I think I'm going to keep it, at least until its owner comes, if it has one," Doug said, putting it the mouse in his shirt pocket. "I just need to find it a cage of some sort."

"If your sister catches you with that mouse, I bet she tells your parents," Taylor said.

"Good, then she'll be able to say how well I'm going to take care of it," Doug said.

Essie followed along as they headed to the Gryffindor common rooms, and never could quite make up her mind if she wanted to tell them the truth or not.

* * *

It was late that night when Sagittari and Poppy were finally ready to wake Jennifer, and Severus was quite conscientious of everyone watching him expectantly.

"Can't you all… turn around or something?" he asked in irritation. Dumbledore smiled with amusement before looking the other way, the other two following suit before Severus leaned over and gently kissed Jennifer. As he began to slowly lean back, he was soon aware of her lifting her neck slightly to try to lengthen the kiss and pulled back to gaze into her tired but open eyes. "I thought I asked you to stop scaring me like this," Severus said quietly, the other three turning around to smile at her. Jennifer in turn was smiling weakly back at him.

"I was afraid that I would never get to tell you what I think about you," Jennifer said in a soft voice. "And how lucky I feel to be with someone like you."

"Not as lucky as I feel right now knowing that you're still with us," Severus said quietly back.

"There will be plenty of time for that chat when you are stronger, Jennifer, you're not going anywhere yet," Dumbledore assured her with a smile, nodding to Sagittari.

"We need to put you a sleep a bit longer," Sagittari told her, taking a phial from Poppy, "But it'll be a dreamless sleep, so you'll be able to regain your strength more quickly."

"No fair, I was beginning to get used to Tennyson's style of poetry," Jennifer chuckled weakly. "Severus, I think I figured out who Viviane is."

"That can wait," Dumbledore said insistently. "You're not in any condition to be solving any mysteries yet. But I have faith you'll be back into things before Christmas."

"But only if you get your rest," Sagittari said sternly, making her take the Sleeping Potion. She grimaced and shuttered slightly.

"Is that one of mine? Someone remind me to do something about the taste when this is…all…" with one last yawn she fell back to sleep.

"Well, no one can fault her for not taking her condition well," Poppy said.

"Her levity is but a sign of how serious this really is," Severus said somberly. But he was soon encouraged by warmth coming back to her hands.

"The worst of the danger has passed now, I believe," Dumbledore said, looking at Sagittari who nodded in affirmation. "Severus, perhaps you should take a phial with you and get some rest. She'll be quite safe up here."

"Yes, and she was safe at the dance as well," Severus said angrily.

"Severus, there's always someone nearby, and Pyther will be in hearing distance," Sagittari said, glancing over at the open door where Pyther was contentedly laying with his sketchbook in hand.

"Yes, that makes me feel so much more secure," Severus said sarcastically. "I'm putting Rasputin up here. Mind all the windows are closed in the morning, we're too close to the pens," he added, leaving to get his familiar.

"I'll go ahead and close them now," Poppy said.

It wasn't very long before he returned and he put the four-foot lizard down, making sure the basilisk's eye patch was securely on.

"Guard her," Severus hissed at Rasputin. "Don't let any come close who would harm her." And it wasn't until Rasputin crawled under her bed that he was finally satisfied. "Now I'll go to bed," he said, taking the phial off the tray with him.

"He certainly does love her," Poppy said with a smile when he finally left, pulling the covers up around Jennifer.

"He is not the only one," Dumbledore said with a smile, watching as the color returned to her cheeks.


	14. Willowby and the Willow

Chapter Fourteen

Willowby and the Willow

After spending Sunday visiting his children, going to Azkaban to update Jennifer's father on her condition, and helping work security at the Ravenclaw-Hufflepuff game, Severus hardly needed any potion to get to sleep the next evening, stopping only long enough to check in the hospital wing. As usual, Jennifer was asleep, but with a half-eaten bowl of porridge at her side, while a bowl of stoned kibble lay on the floor, Rasputin's large head leaning on the bowl as if a pillow. Ratfly was even there, hanging on one of the bars at the foot of the bed, looking around at Severus with bright yellow eyes when he came in. An almost imperceptible smile played across Severus' face then before he finally went off to bed.

He woke up early and gathered his books, peering once more in the hospital before walking down to the office, intent on getting an early start and wondering exactly what Harry taught the day he'd been gone. But as he got near his classroom he slowed, sensing something was wrong, hearing strange noises coming from inside. Whipping out his wand he leaned against the door listening before cautiously opening it, slipping his wand in the opening as he looked around.

Flinging the door open at the sound of crowing, Severus looked around in horror to see a dozen roosters running about the classroom, pecking at each other when one got too close and all flapping their wings startled when to door came crashing open. A light spell had been placed on the room as well, and Severus wasted no time to dash to his office to find the door wide open. Running in, he found his entire office turned upside down, books on the floor, cases open, and potion bottles lying everywhere. As he stood there in stunned silence, the roosters started to fuss again as someone came in, and Harry ran over to the office door.

"Rasputin?" Harry asked worriedly.

"Upstairs with Jennifer," Severus said. Harry exhaled in relief, looking around.

"I can't believe anyone managed to get in this far. How in the world are they doing it?" Harry asked. "Any idea what they were after?"

"Yes, they were probably after the Tome. Somehow they must suspect I am the one that has it," Severus said, picking up a spellbook off the floor and putting it back. Harry, suddenly worried, turned around and ran out of the classroom, and Severus quickly followed behind as he went down the back stairs towards Jennifer's office. The outside door and classroom door showed no signs of entry, but Severus wasn't convinced. He spoke the password and the two of them went in to find everything in place, the Cauldron still sitting in its place, bubbling away.

"Dumbledore's wards on this room were probably more than enough to keep them out," Harry said.

"Either that or they ran out of time," Severus mused. "They had to have been here very late, Jennifer was given porridge last night, so Dumbledore must have been in here to get it for her. Is he in the castle?"

"No, I just left his office. He went to the Ministry to look at some more of the tests on the Ladle. I'd better go get McGonagall," Harry said. Severus didn't like this; he didn't like this at all. Someone who could apparently get into Hogwarts undetected, someone threatening his wife's life and his familiar's…feeling a slight chill, he turned back to Harry before he could get down the hall. "Ask her to bring down Corey!"

Doug looked up to see Corey walking into the Great Hall beside Snape, hurriedly taking his seat while Snape continued on towards the back.

"What happened to you, did you get in trouble or something?" Doug asked. "Is Craw alright?"

"No, not in trouble, and yes, I think she's all right," Corey said. "Actually, I'm not really supposed to talk about it. But I can tell you this much, because everyone's bound to find out. Someone ransacked Snape's office this morning."

"What? What for?" Doug asked. Several of the other students around became interested. But Corey was hoping to get some breakfast in him before it disappeared, as late as he was running.

"Snape thinks they were looking for something. And they filled the class with roosters, too."

"Roosters?" Gail asked.

"Roosters crowing kill basilisks, of course," Corey said, "They were afraid of Rasputin stopping them if they broke in. So they tried to kill him. But Rasputin wasn't there last night; he was somewhere else. And they didn't get what they were looking for, so that's all that matters."

"What were they looking for, then?" Katie asked.

"I can't tell you that," Corey said, shoveling more food in his mouth.

"But how did anyone manage to get in to Hogwarts like that? You can't Apparate in. You can't come in animal form anymore. There's always someone watching the gate, and Sagittari, McGonagall and Dumbledore are the only one with keys," Perry ticked them off on his hand.

"And I've heard Dumbledore say that no one can use any of the keys without he and McGonagall knowing about it," Corey added.

"But what about the magic failing all over the place? Maybe Hogwarts magic is failing too," Gail said.

"Yes, and I heard all the sudden the magic problem is getting worse again. The Ministry building showed up to Muggles the other day, and several of them even made it to the lobby," Perry said, taking out the paper. "Then yesterday, a Muggle boat supposedly ran into Azkaban Island."

"Well, I doubt the magic would fail here without everyone knowing about it," Corey said. "This will be the last place on earth magic would fail at."

"How else do you explain all these attacks then?" Katie asked.

"The only thing I can think of is, maybe it's coming from someone inside the school," Perry said. Corey and the others looked at him thoughtfully.

"You think Perry's right?" Doug asked as they headed down the hall for their next class. "You don't think Longbottom or someone other student left the Ladle?"

"No, it can't be, he was at the dance with the rest of us, remember? Counselor Vallid looked at each of us, she'd have known if any of us were responsible," Corey said.

"Yes, but a lot of people left early, before they rounded everyone up," Doug pointed out.

"Amadeus was there, though, he was standing near Malfoy when Harry went over to talk to him," Corey said. "Don't forget, I have perfect memory."

"How can we forget? You keep flaunting it in every class," Doug glowered as they headed out to the greenhouses. Danny waved at them from where she stood, watering a large pot of broom snakegrass. "Wow, your project is coming along well."

"Thanks! How are yours doing?" Danny asked.

"Haven't checked on them yet, but I'm sure mine are fine. Mom has Griffonlilies in her garden, that's why I picked them as my project this year," Corey said.

"I wish I could say the same for my goats rue," Doug sighed, heading over to his pot. "Wait a minute!" he shouted out in surprise. "They're gone!"

"Gone?" Corey asked heading over to the pots. Just then he noticed that the arrangement was slightly off, for Doug's pot had been shifted much too close to Corey's. One of the blossoming Griffonlilies suddenly burped, and Corey grimaced. "Doug, it looks like my plants might have eaten yours."

"I thought you had yours away from everyone else's!" Doug barked at him.

"So did I! I don't know what happened," Corey said. Just then he caught Roger Baylor standing in the back of class with some of the other Slytherin boys, chuckling softly. "Although I can get a pretty good idea of what."

"What in the world is all the yelling about?" Professor Spout said, working her way down the aisle and over to the plants. "Oh dear. Well, you'll just have to start another batch, Mr. Brim. Willowby, I want you to cage up those Lilies immediately. I can't have them eating up everyone else's project for the year," she said.

"Yes ma'am," Corey said, still looking slightly apologetic towards Doug.

"They weren't doing so well anyhow," Doug said with a sigh. "Maybe I'll try something a bit easier."

"All right, all right, gather round everyone," Professor Sprout said, waving her arm towards them. "Today, we're going to be working on pruning Gnomeknuckle, as you can see, these in front of you have gotten a bit out of control," she said. Corey stared at his for a moment. Out of control was right; the woody, briar-like bushes were going in every which way, their gnarled bark twisting out of their pots like tiny curled hands, giving the plant its name. "We, of course, use the new shoots in several different potions, any guesses on some of them?" A pair of hands went up. "Someone besides Willowby or Nelson for a change?" The hands went back down again. "Mr. Baylor?"

"It works to stabilize certain potions? Like, incorporeal draughts and weightlessness draughts, to keep people from accidentally becoming like that permanently?" Roger said.

"Yes, quite correct, and it's also sometimes used in powder form to stabilize magical scrolls and texts as well…five points for Slytherin," she said. "Now be careful to get well under each knuckle while you're pruning them, and don't go trim any farther down than the second knuckle. Mind, now, they don't particularly like getting their fingers cut off so make sure you have a good grasp on your shears, like so."

It was strange how easy she made it look, firmly grasping the first branch of the plant and snipping it off, while the remaining part of it swiped at her in irritation. But as they tried it, Corey quickly found it was hard to keep a hold of any one shoot, it would fight and squirm itself away before he could get a good grasp of it. Finally he got the grip he was looking for, quickly trying to cut beneath the knuckle when the other shoots of the plant began attacking the hand with the shears, trying to make him get away from them. But triumphantly he snipped off the shoot and went for the next, grasping it firmly again to cut it as they tried attacking him again. The angry plant suddenly managed to grasp the fallen shoots and began whipping him with it, making him back off for a moment.

"Looks like Corey's plant is giving him the finger," Roger grinned, several of the other boys chuckling as well. "What's the matter, Willowby, lost your green thumb over the summer?" But Roger should have been paying attention to his own plant, for it had finally managed to get his shears away and in revenge snipped at Baylor's hand, tearing through his gloves as he let out a scream.

"Better than having a red thumb," Corey smirked, but then got too caught up in his own plant to hear Roger's reply before Sprout came over to check on him. It was as they were heading out of the class that Roger Baylor caught up to him again, ignoring the warning look on Danny's face.

"So Brim, I heard you finally got a new familiar. How long is it going to take you to lose this one?" he asked.

"Shut up, Baylor, it's none of your business," Doug said.

"Don't you have something better to do? You can't possibly have finished studying for our Charms test yet," Danny said.

"You told me you were going to help me with that. Besides, I got time. Why don't you show us your new familiar, Doug?" Baylor asked.

"I can't, he's never around during the day, but he'll be back in the evening," Doug said.

"I bet you don't even have a familiar. I bet you're just saying that because you're one of the few people in the entire class that doesn't have one."

"That's enough, Roger," Danny said.

"Fine. But I still want to see it. How about after dinner? You can bring out your mouse and show it off to everyone."

"Fine, maybe I will."

"We hang out in the back, see you later," he said, heading back the other direction. Danny watched him go worriedly, before turning back to Doug.

"Doug, I don't know what he's up to yet, but I wouldn't listen to him if I were you," Danny said. "At least, not until I get back to the common room to find out what's going on."

"Whatever happened to you having everything under control?" Doug challenged her.

"Well, to be perfectly honest, ever since Longbottom became a seventh year, it's been harder and harder to keep a grip on things. He's been taking orders straight from my cousin lately, and I can't do a thing about it. Baylor isn't going to get past this next Charms exam without my help though, and he needs to stay on the team, so he'd better not do anything stupid, or I dare say I won't help him study," Danny swore.

"That test is next week before the your Quidditch game with us, isn't it?" Corey said brightly. The idea of them being out of a Keeper for their next game was a delightful thought, but Danny glared at him knowingly.

"Don't get your hopes up, Corey, I'll just have to win the game faster than your Chasers can score is all," Danny said in a voice that indicated that would be easy, before heading back to her own class. Corey and Doug shook their heads at her as they continued on.

"Danny is right about one thing though," Corey said as they headed down the stairs towards the Potion Lab. "If Longbottom's taking orders right from Malfoy, we should probably stay clear of them. No need for you to walk into that mess."

"But Corey, you heard him, everyone thinks I'm lying about having a familiar at all, they just think I'm making it up," Doug said.

"Doug, has the mouse even come back after the first time?" Corey asked with a sigh.

"Of course he has! Whiskers has been back lots of times! Well, not for very long, he often takes off again, but he has," Doug said. "Watch, he'll come by in the evening for sure, and then I can show that Baylor I do have a familiar." Corey sighed then, knowing he wasn't going to win this battle. But he was going to go along to make sure nothing went wrong.

It was as they were hurrying up to the room after dinner that Essie and Angela caught up to them.

"Hi Corey, hi Doug. Doug, I was wondering if perhaps you were still thinking of joining sparring club this year," Essie said jogging slightly to keep up with the two other boys.

"Oh, uh, maybe, I'm still thinking about it," Doug admitted, "We're hoping to give Slytherin a run for their money this year," he said.

"Well, maybe you could go tonight? And if you see my match, maybe you could give me a few pointers?" Essie asked.

"I'm sorry, Essie, but I got to take care of something. I promised some guys in my class I'd show them my familiar. Maybe next week," Doug said.

"Essie, just come by some time when I'm not busy, I'll help you," Corey said sincerely as the two of them continued up the stairs. Essie stopped and sighed.

"Well, that went well," Essie said sarcastically.

"I told you so, he wouldn't look twice at a younger girl. But you've got other problems, didn't you hear what he just said?" Angela said.

"Yeah, he said he couldn't go to sparring," Essie said, as Angela looked straight at her waiting for it to sink in. "Oh no, I'd better dash!"

"You know you should be studying your Defense instead of traipsing about getting that girl magnet to look at you. He's not worth it," Angela said.

"If I don't go, it's going to make him look bad in front of all his friends," Essie said. "Cover for me, I'll be back as soon as I can," she promised, running up the stairs.

"When don't I have to cover for her?" Angela sighed with exasperation, heading to the Hufflepuff rooms.

* * *

Corey was not surprised to see not only Roger, but also Longbottom and Casper Wyatt on the back grounds, along with several others including Greisley and the Liam twins waiting for them on a bench near the wall. Hardly anyone ever went out that way and for very good reason, for it was out that particular gate which grew a particularly large, particularly dangerous tree. Why they allowed such a menacing thing on the grounds Corey was never quite sure. In any case, everyone took particular care to stay away from it, wanting little to do with its wrath. But where they stood they were perfectly safe enough, and in little danger of anyone disturbing them.

"So, you came after all," Roger said as Amadeus and Casper exchanged slight smiles. "What did you do, fish one out of Snape's mouse trap?"

"Of course not, my mouse is smarter than that," Doug said, pulling out the mouse from his pocket and putting on his shoulder. "You see? He's completely tame. I bet I could even teach it how to run messages and stuff, just like Corey's cat does."

"Next thing you know you're going to try to tell us that that little castle vermin you picked up is just as smart as an owl," Amadeus said, smiling daringly.

"I bet he is," Doug said back, folding his arms.

"Well, let's see then," Amadeus suggested, making a slight gesture with one finger. Suddenly Doug heard the screech of an owl descending on him but before he could duck the Owl had come and grabbed the mouse off of his shoulder, flying it passed him.

"Whiskers!" Doug yelled as the Slytherins chuckled, pulling out his wand.

"You know you might hit your mouse instead if you try that route," Amadeus said before he could cast as the owl flew higher, circling above the grounds. "But then, as far as my owl's concerned your 'familiar' isn't more than a snack anyhow."

"Put the mouse down, Amadeus!" Corey said, putting his hands up threateningly.

"Attack me, Willowby, and I guarantee you won't ever see that mouse again," Amadeus said calmly. "I think if you want that mouse back, the two of you are going to have to start cooperating a bit more around here. I will let the mouse go, but only if you promise to keep your bats in hand next week."

"Are you telling us you want us to throw the game?" Doug said.

"Unless you don't want your familiar reduced to desert," Amadeus said. Corey looked over at Doug. After all, it wasn't his familiar up there, but he knew how he'd feel if it were.

"Alright, Amadeus, you win. Just put the mouse down," Corey said, lowering his hands.

"Everyone hear that?" Amadeus said, looking around to see the rest of them nodding. "If you go back on your word, I promise that the mouse is only the first thing you'll lose," he said. Then he turned and made another gesture with his hand and the owl flew in closer, but as the last moment it veered daringly towards the tree and dropped the mouse under its branches and spun out of the way just as the irate tree moved to smack the bird out of the sky.

"Whiskers!" Doug shouted running towards the tree. But soon as he got close, the tree attacked, snatching his wand out of his hand and tearing it to bits. As he backed away two streaks of fur passed him as Cheshire and Queenie ran through the bottom of the trunk as the tree slashed menacingly around them trying to tear them to shreds.

"Cheshire!" Corey said, running past Doug with his hands out. "_Pacheme!_" Corey cast, trying to lull the tree into a calm. But the spell barely lasted a second before the tree began to react again. Quickly Corey rolled under the branches while the tree slashed at his arms like a whip as he tried to grab his cat.

"Hey you stupid tree!" Doug shouted, "You're next months firewood, you know that don't you?" he taunted, standing just within reach. The tree turned its attention to Doug, lashing its branches at him. Taking advantage of the distraction, Corey climbed up the trunk to where Cheshire was sitting. But Queenie jumped down and snatched the mouse in her mouth, running like a white beam of light back out of range of the tree. Corey shouted at Queenie, and the tree remembered he was there. Its branches turned inward and then grabbed him by the leg, picking him up as two larger branches came crashing towards him, despite Doug's constant yelling to try to get its attention.

Suddenly there was a flash of red light under Corey's head, hitting a knot in the trunk itself and the tree stopped what it was doing and relaxed, Corey still hanging upside down from its branches, covered in scratches and clutching Cheshire.

When he risked opening an eye he noticed Snape standing several feet away with his wand out standing next to Greisley, who was red faced and out of breath. A moment later the branches had relaxed enough that Corey came crashing to the ground and Snape dragged him out of range of the tree.

"What do you think you were doing? Don't you know you might have been killed?" Snape snapped at him after he was convinced the injuries weren't severe. "Where is your common sense? Why did you go near that tree?"

"It's not his fault!" Doug said. "Amadeus' owl kidnapped my familiar, and the cats went after it, he was just trying to –"

"Quiet, Brim! I didn't ask you! Besides, you don't even have a…" Severus glanced over at the cat sitting beside Doug and at the mouse now in Doug's hand. Severus rolled his eyes. "Greisley, go to the gym and tell them sparring club is cancelled tonight," he snapped, standing up and calling up a stretcher, levitating Corey onto it. "As for you, I'll deal with you later," Severus snarled ferociously. Doug was petrified at the expression on Snape's face, and then suddenly realized it was aimed at his mouse rather than at him. Doug clasped his hands around the mouse protectively, and Snape's eyes flickered over to him. Shaking his head in disgust and disbelief, he turned his attention back towards Corey, getting up to the hospital wing.

With great relief, the two of them realized that Jennifer had been moved to the private room, the beds in the main room empty as Poppy came over to look over Corey's wounds. It was just as well he decided to cancel sparring club…Severus was completely exhausted after everything that happened that day. And after getting an account of Corey's side of the story, he realized that the matter was far from over. Just what he needed, he sighed softly to himself before slipping in to tell Jennifer goodnight.

* * *

As hard as things had become for Severus, the same could be said for his sister…in triplicate. She still wasn't quite sure how Severus managed to get his magic back, or how exactly he ended up escorting Sirius to the door, threatening all the while to lock them in if they didn't sort something out. Severus was, in fact, in a fouler temperament than she had known him to be in for several years, but she knew it was only his way of attempting to deal with everything life was throwing at him. Sirius, on the other hand, was in a bad mood for entirely different reasons, but it soon got sorted out with fewer words than she had expected.

By the next morning, Anna had decided to let Sirius dote on her a bit. After all, it was his fault she got pregnant, and also his fault there were two instead of one, having not taken Jennifer's advice to 'just a sip' to heart. Of course, Severus and Jennifer's addition was hardly his fault, but still she had a right to sympathy for that as well. Ever since the baby girl, six weeks younger than her own had come into the picture, Anna had not been feeling well at all, and not even the nasty potions Sagittari had given her seemed to do a thing to improve it. Her magic was doing strange and peculiar things at times. Often items would drop off of shelves when she passed them, and every now and then she would turn strange colors. One thing was certain; her magic didn't seem to be weakening at all because of her predicament, if anything it had increased… much to the annoyance of Rolanda, Poppy, and a couple of other witches she knew that had to go without any magic for months.

Anna, for her part, would really have preferred if it had gone completely away; it was rather hard to go out and perform the Muggle portions of her job without such curious things happening around her. Despite that, Anna had become much more comfortable with her life between the worlds, feeling more a part of each than an outcast of each now… even taking into account those in the wizard world that were wary of her Aethermage abilities. Strange how they seemed a lot more relaxed around her when she was working with Harry on something, which at times she found quite amusing. It seemed that many of the same people who believed she had the power to destroy their world also believed that Harry Potter had the supreme power of saving it, and therefore she was never a real threat when he was around. Good thing there didn't seem to be any connection between her comings and goings and the way that the magic was wavering.

On Saturdays and Sundays she spent her time at the Ministry, helping Vallid with some of her work, as well as working on the Cross-Muggle projects on the Law Enforcement team, acting as a go between for some of the wizard officials and the Muggles they had established who were 'in the know.' So it happened that she was in Thurspire's office with Ederick and Megan the next Saturday when Harry came in, a report in his hand.

"Well, I got the final tests back on the ladle, and I think you'll find this rather interesting, Anna, Ed," Harry said sitting down and handing Ederick the report. "It was a rather complex reverse curse, basically like a magic depolarization, tempering the metal in a way that altered the original spell placed into it. Definitely not something an amateur could have done. Whoever did this knew their magical items well."

"Strange, according to this, the magical makeup of the Ladle as it is now is identical to the original report that was filed when the Ministry confiscated it from the Malfoy residence," Ederick said, looking up thoughtfully. "That means that this ladle was altered before that point."

"Yes, which makes me wonder if it was originally meant for Jennifer at all," Harry said. "I think it might have been altered with intent of killing her father after they fled to the States."

"That means whoever altered this was probably in the employ of Lucius Malfoy," Thurspire mused.

"What do you think the odds are that he got the Ladle back after Fudge took it from me?" Anna asked.

"It's possible," Harry said. "Fudge was terrified of Malfoy, he may have given him the Ladle to placate him, or at least keep him off his back about the book. But it wouldn't explain how the Ladle got into the school. Vallid talked to everyone in that school even remotely connected to Malfoy that was there."

"Perhaps that's part of the problem," Thurspire said, leaning over his desk. "If Malfoy is involved, which is a distinct possibility considering his background with Jennifer not to mention with the Ladle, he wouldn't be foolish enough to use someone we know is connected to him. Rather, he'd use someone no one would suspect. I think we need to widen our search."

"What about the Order of Equinox? Dumbledore says they wasted little time trying to get the Cauldron back. Maybe they know more than they're saying as well," Anna said.

"What we need there, is someone on the inside," Harry said thoughtfully.

"Oh, don't worry, Harry, I'm already working on that," Thurspire said with an enigmatic smile. "I'm just waiting to hear the first full report."


	15. Corey and Severus

Chapter Fifteen

Corey and Severus

It was the day of the big game at last. Corey Willowby finished polishing his _Cleansweep Nighthawk _and stood up beside Doug, exchanging glances. There could be little doubt this would be a rough game. Of course, they had told Danny what had happened, and Danny had assured them as team captain she would keep things in line. Even still, Corey had little doubt there would be trouble after Longbottom reminded them yet again that they had agreed to back off since he let the mouse go.

"We don't owe him anything, he nearly got you and all our familiars killed," Doug said. "I swear I'm going to knock him straight off his broom this time."

"Save it for the game," Corey said, trying to calm him down. But now it was time, and Doug was no calmer than he was after it happened.

Perry peeked out on the field and blinked slightly, closing the door again as the rest of them made last minute equipment checks.

"Look sharp, seems we have a substitute referee today. Snape's in the pitch," Perry said.

"Oh great, we're doomed for sure," Katie groaned.

"Well, Slytherin may be his house, but we also got Corey on our team," Juniper pointed out.

"Yes, but he's just as hard on Corey in class as any other non-Slytherin," Gail said, standing with Juniper and Richard. "We're going to get trounced."

"We didn't last year, we won't this year," Perry said calmly.

"I hope it rains again," Katie said as they mounted their brooms, grinning slightly at each other.

Finally the gates opened and one by one they took to the pitch, the crowd cheering wildly as they came out, waving at them as they soared past. Doug and Corey dipped down to the Hufflepuff stands to do a spin and a wave towards Essie then up for a loop near the box while Danny, watching their antics, twisted through the loop and up out of the way as the two boys looked at her with surprise. Snape shook his head slightly from where he stood in the center of the field, blowing slightly on his whistle to make them take their places.

"Let's all not try to get too much blood on the pitch this time, shall we?" Severus said dryly, picking up the Quaffle. Amadeus and Corey glared at each other from their positions then became instantly alert as the Bludgers went up trying to keep a steady eye on their positions as the Quaffle was released. Hopping over the mob of Chasers, Corey zoomed in, his _Nighthawk_ faithfully pulling ahead in time to knock the Bludger towards Doug who smacked it towards where Lisa and Liam were making a run across the pitch.

"I take it that means you're going back on your word, Willowby?" Amadeus said, hovering above him.

"You nearly got me killed, Longbottom," Corey snapped.

"Well, we'll try to do better next time," Amadeus said, veering around to head up the field. Lisa and Liam were giving little room for the other Chasers to cut in, but finally Juniper got the ball back, spinning under the feet of the Seekers who hovered higher to get out of the way. Doug soared past Corey as Casper headed towards the other Bludger, aiming, it seemed, at where Danny and Katie were intently watching the Chasers as Liam and Lisa tried to pull a pinch on Gail. At the last moment, Casper turned and hit the Bludger backwards, catching Doug completely in surprise as it headed for Perry, knocking him hard in the arm as the Slytherin crowd cheered.

Corey cringed as Perry signaled he thought it was broken, still keeping his post. What were they going to do now? They knew they had a problem with Slytherin's Chasers before, but now they had a Keeper with a broken arm, they were really in trouble. But his thoughts were interrupted by an approaching Bludger as he barely got his bat up in time to smack it away. Unfortunately he hadn't had time to aim, and Katie had to hop out of her way with the broom as it came barreling past, taking up a higher position.

"Hey, watch it!" she barked, and he shrugged, but then had to move as the Chasers flew up the Pitch again. Perry made a valiant effort stopping it with his broom but he couldn't get there in time, the Quaffle once again scoring for Slytherin.

Quickly Perry called for a time out then, and Corey floated down, dodging the Bludger he was about to hit on the way down as they all gather round Perry to look at his arm.

"I'm not sure how well I'm going to keep up, but better an injured Keeper than no Keeper," Perry said as Corey cast a spell to splint his arm. "You are going to have to get aggressive with those Chasers. There's still no sign of the Snitch yet but at this rate it's not going to matter, they're gaining too many points on us," Perry said, looking at the 80-10 scoreboard. "Doug, Corey, you find a way to break up those twins."

"I'm trying, but Amadeus seems to be making me his prime target," Corey said. Perry looked over at Katie.

"You think you can handle a Wronski Feint?" Perry asked her. Katie nodded slowly. "Danny won't fall for it, she's a bit wise for that, but it might distract Amadeus enough for both of you to get a good whack on those twins," he said, "we're counting on you two this time, for once, don't mess up." Corey nodded slowly and Doug gave him a dirty look as they took to their brooms again as Snape tossed Slytherin the Quaffle.

"Alright, you take Lisa, I'll get Liam."

"I'm not hitting a girl! I may want a date someday! You get Lisa!" Doug protested, as the Chasers passed them.

"No time to argue!" Corey said, veering away to get control of one of the Bludgers while Doug looked for the other one. But just as Juniper got a hold of the ball and they were heading back, Katie suddenly dove in a twisting, zigzagging pattern, Danny close behind. Corey saw Casper smack the other one towards them and dove to meet it, barely avoiding Danny who had just pulled up, realizing that Katie hadn't seen the Snitch at all.

But as Corey looked across he saw that Doug had struck his Bludger straight up to time it with his and as the Chasers got near the ring, they smacked the Bludgers hard across the pitch, one of them hitting the back of Liam's broom and the other hitting the front, sending it flying around in a dizzying spiral down towards the ground to the cheers of the Gryffindor team. Lisa glared at them ferociously as Juniper made another goal.

Doug came up to touch bats as they flew back up the pitch grinning.

"I don't know about you, but I'm not telling anyone that wasn't on purpose," Doug grinned at Corey.

"Look sharp!" Corey said as the Bludgers came back at them, both dodging on instinct and letting them fly on past. Quickly they sped after them, diving under the Seekers who were still just trying to stay out of the way. Amadeus was faster this time, a mere two-yards ahead of them smacking it back at Corey head on. But what should have been a very nasty hit somehow passed through, as Corey wasn't there anymore, his broom falling towards the ground. Suddenly he appeared on it again, looking a bit shaken as he tried to regain his control of the broom. The whistle blew, and Corey was expecting it, but at least he saved himself a nasty head injury. Obediently Corey flew to the penalty area for Apparating during a game, grinning nervously at Snape's glare when he came up beside him on his broom.

"You know that's not why I taught you that," he snapped.

"Sorry Dad," Corey said sheepishly before Snape moved away again.

Down below the game was getting even more brutal. Doug was having trouble keeping up on his own, and Perry wasn't in a position to block much of anything. Still, Slytherin was down one Chaser, but as Amadeus and Casper came up beside Juniper it was obvious that Gryffindor was going to be down one soon as well. Sure enough, the moment the Bludgers came up the field the two of them peeled up and knocked them towards Juniper, who successfully dodged one only to fly in the others path. She twisted to try to avoid it and it hit her back, making her lose her grip on the Quaffle as she floated down to the ground in obvious pain.

"Man, I _wish_ Doug would knock Amadeus off his broom, maybe we'll get lucky and he'll break his bloody neck," Corey growled.

Suddenly he felt very odd, and he began to panic, realizing his mistake. He didn't mean it, not really! He said it in anger…yes that was the trouble…and then, he saw as if in slow motion Doug reaching a Bludger getting ready to smack it at Amadeus, who had his back turned as he and Casper celebrated Juniper's exit.

Knowing that he hadn't a moment to spare, Corey dove out of the penalty area and zoomed across the Pitch. Everything around him seemed to be moving slower and slower did so, and there was a curious bluish tint around him as he pulled in front of the Bludger meant for Amadeus, trying to smack it out of the way. In fact, he had hit it so hard that his bat cracked, a nasty shockwave surging through his arm. A sudden wave of power propelled Corey backwards, nearly knocking Amadeus off his broom in the process as he lost control and went crashing to the ground.

All of the sudden, time seemed to be moving at normal speed again, and he was aware of Amadeus looking down at him in total bewilderment. But as Corey slowly sat up there was a roar from the crowd as Danny held up the Snitch, the cheering echoed by Casper and Amadeus above. Corey glanced down at what was left of his broom and groaned, knowing there was little hope in repairing it.

Doug landed and ran over, grabbing him and pulling him up on to his feet. Another wave of pain hit him, and he realized he had managed to do something to his ankle.

"What the heck were you doing up there? I had a perfect shot, and you were supposed to be in the penalty box! You lost us the game, you idiot!" Doug yelled at him. "What were you doing Apparating again like that anyhow, you're not even old enough to do that!"

"I didn't Apparate that last time. I flew," Corey muttered.

"No. One minute you were there, the next minute you were covering for Longbottom. Have you lost all your senses?" Doug screamed at him.

"Actually, I think I just gained them," Corey said coldly as Gail and some of the others came over, noticing him favoring his leg. "This is supposed to be a game, not a war," he said quietly. "Find another Beater, Perry. I quit." Corey picked up what was left of his broom and limped passed the rest of the team, ignoring Madame Pomfrey's query about his leg as he passed. Snape, standing near the Slytherin on the other side of the Pitch watched him steadily as Danny ran over to meet him, followed by Taylor from the stands.

"Corey, are you all right?" Danny said worriedly. "Did you see the ghost?"

"Only my own," Corey said.

"We know something's wrong, there's got to be some reason you did what you did," Taylor said.

"According to Doug, it was to lose us the game," Corey said bitterly. "If you don't mind, I just want to be alone to think." Danny and Taylor stopped and watched him limp in, even more worried than ever.

Corey hadn't gotten too far in the castle before he realized his ankle was getting worse instead of better, and even a quick bandage wrap wasn't enough to dull the pain. If only his Dad hadn't changed his office password…of course, after the break-in, Rasputin hadn't been there, so there was little reason for him to have it. But he also didn't feel like going to the hospital wing right now, for he really didn't want to answer too many questions about what happened. Brewing in his room on a weekend would be suspicious, but no one would probably be in the lab.

Making up his mind, he eased his way down the steps to the lab. But strangely enough, there was the flicker of candlelight coming from within the slightly open door. Wondering if someone was up to something they shouldn't be, Corey peered in cautiously, quite surprised to see who was standing by the back shelves.

"Well, don't just stand there, come in and shut the door," Severus said calmly, glancing at a label.

"How did you get here so fast?" Corey asked.

"One learns a shortcut or two when you've been in this school as long as I have. If you had any sense, you'd learn some as well so you wouldn't have had to traipse so far on that leg of yours," he said with a knowing frown, opening the office door. "I still haven't replaced all my equipment yet, so we'll just have to make do with Craw's office tonight. I need to reorganize it again anyhow. Now, get inside so I can take a look at that leg."

Corey reluctantly went into the office, sitting down and propping his leg up on another chair, Severus coming in right behind him. He didn't speak a word as he poked at Corey's leg and ankle, rolling his eyes at the obviously nasty break, grabbing a potion off the shelf and handing it to Corey to drink while silently lighting some burners, not saying a word. In fact, he went so long without speaking that it was beginning to make Corey very nervous. After a few minutes, Snape finished what Corey recognized as a potion to keep down swelling and handed it to him.

"Drink half of it tonight and half of it in the morning. If your ankle doesn't hurt when you wake up, come see Pomfrey or me, it probably means something's wrong," Severus said, opening the door for him. Corey turned around, looking at him in surprise.

"That's it?"

"What do you mean is that it?"

"Well, I mean… I go and defend Longbottom in a game and break my broom and quit the team, and then try to avoid everybody and make my own potions for my ankle, and you just happen to show up in the lab to make them, and that's it?" Corey said.

"What do you expect? A full-length interpretation of all your innermost thoughts using colorful anecdotes so that you might attempt to learn something from your failures? Who do I look like, Dumbledore?" Severus stared at him. "I'm treating you like I would any other student in this position."

"Do you have a lot of students that avoid the hospital wing?" Corey challenged him.

"Quite a few actually," Severus said slowly. "More than I would like. Perhaps you should try asking Miss Nelson, she has been in my office often enough, especially her first two years." Corey stared at him, finding himself respecting him even more than ever before. He also realized, more than ever, why Snape was in charge of Slytherin house. "Everyone has their own way of teaching. Most don't agree with mine, but I find it effective. Now are you going to go up to your houserooms, or am I going to have to write you up for being out in the halls after hours?"

"Actually, I could really use a Dad right now," Corey admitted quietly. Severus shut the door, heading back over to the desk and sitting down.

"In that case, I would like to hear an explanation of what caused you to do what you did out there," Severus said so starkly that Corey immediately understood he had realized what had happened.

"I…I wasn't thinking," Corey stammered.

"Yes well, that much at least was evident."

"Really, I didn't know I was doing it until it was too late," Corey said. "And then all the sudden, everything got blurry like time had come to a screeching halt, and I wanted so bad to fix the W curse that I flew in front of it."

"You're lucky you didn't break your neck," Severus said. Corey looked at him thoughtfully.

"I'm also lucky I didn't break Amadeus' neck," Corey said.

"That part wasn't luck, that was me," Severus said, getting out the Tome. "Surely you've realized by now from what you've read what happened."

"You counter-wished it," Corey said, slightly amazed. "You caught it and wished something else before it had time to take effect."

"Which is why, of course, that sort of instinctual magic is no longer used," Severus said sternly. "It can easily countered by anyone else with any magical ability that knows how to use it. Modern magic is more complex and more diverse, making it harder to counter without knowing the proper spell. It also makes you think before casting a spell," Severus added, eyes fixed on him. "So you don't accidentally act on pure emotion." Corey looked uncomfortable. "Being a Focus Caster, you're nearly as susceptible to those impulses as I am, and your self discipline leaves much to be desired. I'd rather you not learn that lesson the same way that I did. Perhaps we took your wand away too soon. You'd have been better off to have learned more restraint."

"Maybe, now that I'm older and understand the value of discipline," Corey said, continuing quickly after noticing Severus' dubious expression, "maybe I should try sparring again…I mean, wand style, with the other students, so I could learn some restraint."

"Don't you try to feed me lines, Willowby. Might I remind you I've been teaching longer than you've been alive and I've heard them all," Severus scowled at him.

"Well, you're the one who suggested the wand, I just thought…"

"You just thought perhaps if you were in sparring again that Nelson would actually have some competition for a change," Snape snapped.

"I thought we were supposed to be talking Dad to son?" Corey said.

"Releasing you from that sparring ban is as much my responsibility as sparring master as it is anything else," he squinted, tapping his fingers irritably on his desk, looking at Corey, who just quietly looked back at him. "Oh, very well! But I swear, if I catch you even for an instant purposefully putting up a hand –"

"I won't, I promise, believe me I have plenty of incentive not to do anything like that again," Corey said soberly. Severus looked at him steadily.

"Yes, and if you don't have enough incentive, be sure that I provide it for you. What of Quidditch?"

"What of it? I quit. Besides, I broke my broom, besides other things," Corey said, glancing at his leg. The swelling had already begun to go down.

"A heat of the moment decision…I doubt anyone will replace you without talking to you again. And, I seriously doubt there is anyone from either Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw that would cause you to react in such a way. You'll never have to face Longbottom again, you know, he graduates this year."

"That's not why I quit. I quit because some people seem to take that stupid cup much too seriously. There are more important things in life than that stupid game," Corey said.

"Yes, I tend to agree with you. But as long as you realize that, who cares what anyone else thinks?" Severus said.

"Well Doug wasn't too happy, for one thing."

"Doug has a lot of growing up to do, even you realize by now he's a bit immature for his age. Even compared to you."

"Well, yeah…"

"He'll get over it, or not, but you shouldn't let others change your mind about things."

"But you let Mom change your mind about things all the time," Corey quipped. Severus gave him such a dirty look that Corey broke out into a grin.

"Stop changing the subject. We're talking about you, not me. Frankly, I don't care one way or the other if you stay on the team or not, as long as you stay out of trouble and turn your homework in."

"If I stay on the team does that mean I get a new broom this Christmas?"

"Don't push your luck," Severus glared at him. "Borrow your Aunt Anna's, she's not going to be riding it in her condition."

"Yes, sir," Corey said.

"Anything else? Or are we done?" Severus asked, glancing at his watch and his ring.

"I just had one other question," Corey said carefully, encouraged by how unusually conversational his Dad was.

"Yes, Corey?" Severus asked, tapping his fingers again.

"Do you, well, I mean, it's pretty much public knowledge that Mom became my guardian because she felt partially responsible for what happened…" Corey said, Severus' expression turning to one of surprise. "And then, of course, you married her, so you got stuck with me too, and so I was kind of wondering if you ever regretted it…"

"No," Severus said flatly. "And I don't think that's why your Mom did what she did either. Now get out of this office before I say something idiotically sentimental. And stay off that foot as much as possible."

"Yes, Dad," Corey said. "Thanks. Say hi to Mom for me."

In a way, Corey rather wished that Severus had said more, and yet, somehow at the same time it was assurance enough. As he carefully walked out the door and into the hall he saw Professor Dumbledore step down the stairs, smiling gently at him.

"Ah, there you are. Madame Pomfrey has been wondering where you were, you took quite a nasty fall," Dumbledore said.

"Yes, sir, but Da…er, Professor Snape took care of it," Corey said.

"I see," Dumbledore smiled again. "I'll let her know not to worry then. You'd best get up to bed and give that ankle more time to heal."

"Yes, sir," Corey said, heading up the stairs as Dumbledore stepped into the office.

"Good evening, Severus. How is Corey?"

"As much trouble as always," Severus said, taking his cloak and moving to join Dumbledore.

"Yes. You know, in many ways, he reminds me a lot of you," Dumbledore said mischievously.

"Bite your tongue, Dumbledore, I in no way resemble a Gryffindor. And he is definitely _not _Slytherin material," Severus grunted.

"Well, yes it's true on the surface you are very different, but then the differences seem to be more stemmed from your past experiences than anything else," Dumbledore continued, despite Severus' attempt to ignore it. "You've been a very good influence on him. And I daresay, I think he's been a good influence on you as well. You seem to have a much higher boiling point than you used to have," he said, looking quite amused.

"Probably because that boy's boiled me over so many times there isn't enough brew left to get past the rim," Severus said testily as they headed out of the office.

"At least now you can get a smaller cauldron to put it in," Dumbledore said.

Severus followed him quietly towards the hospital wing, thinking on that. He knew that Dumbledore was speaking of all the extra baggage he'd been carrying all those years…and little by little he had been putting it to rest. Somehow, helping to prevent Corey from making the same mistakes that he had made had released him from a lot of the anguish they had caused… perhaps now he could truly put some of them behind him for good.


	16. The Imp that Went Bump in the Night

Chapter Sixteen

The Imp that Went Bump in the Night

Jennifer pulled her blankets around her, a slight shiver running through her. It was a cold quiet night, and probably a frightfully late hour, and she kept hearing an odd, soft noise, like something hitting the floor. She thought about it a moment, turning over, and then opened her eyes, still hearing the noise. She leaned over to look under the bed, but Rasputin was fast asleep. Ratfly wasn't there, probably out prowling the property. Cautiously Jennifer sat up and swung her legs over the edge of the bed, her warm feet turning cold from the frigid floors. Her legs were quite stiff as she tried to stand for the first time in weeks and her back ached, but somehow she found that she could manage it, working her way over to the door and peering outside to see what the noise was.

The main hospital room was dark, the beds were made and empty, and neither Sagittari nor Pomfrey could be seen. What she did see, however, was an Imp, who was dangling on the highest bookshelf where the medical books were kept, grabbing each one and looking at it before dropping it with a thud.

Jennifer shut the door again and crept over towards the stand, opening a drawer to take out her wand. Slipping on a pair of slippers she found nestled underneath the bed, she snuck back over to the door and peered out of it. The Imp, taking the last book off the shelf, gave it an annoyed toss onto the pile that had formed on the floor and hovered out of the room, disgruntled, sniffing the air thoughtfully as it headed down the corridor. Keeping her wand in hand, Jennifer tiptoed out to the corridor, watching as it entered a small room across the left hall, used as a premed classroom for those few who wished to go on to healing school. Again, Jennifer heard books being knocked off the shelf.

Was it planning to go through every book in the school, she wondered? If that Imp was looking for the Tome as she thought it was, it certainly wasn't going to find it in this wing. Still, it didn't seem too worried about covering up its tracks. Making up her mind, Jennifer slipped down the opposite corridor, shortcutting through another room to hurry down the back stairs. She glanced cautiously down the hallways, every now and then checking nearby rooms only to find piles of books lying in any that had them. Dreading what she would find lower, she made her way towards the library to find it had not yet been disturbed. Perhaps it would have thought that was too obvious, she mused, slipping back down the corridor and down towards her office. It too, remained untouched. Chances were then he was working his way from the top down. If so, it would be getting to the main classrooms soon, and that would definitely slow the creature up. Using that to her advantage, she took a moment to put together a powder, grabbing a few bottles off her shelves and tossing them together quickly and scooping it into a small bag. Then she grabbed her cloak from the rack behind her desk before hurrying upstairs, taking a moment to dust around the doors with the powder before leaving.

It wasn't long before she heard shuffling ahead of her, accompanied by loud squawks coming from the Transfiguration classroom. Cautiously she peered in the door just in time to see the Imp casting a spell at the animals, silencing their cries for help. He giggled, then picked up the next book. But the sudden silence had another effect, and the Imp became alert of the door creaking as Jennifer tried to open it a little more.

With a snap of the fingers it turned itself into mist and drifted quickly past her before she could react, floating down the corridor with an echoing giggle. Quickly Jennifer moved to follow it, finding herself in a slight déjà vu as she remembered the last time she had tried to chase something like this through Hogwarts. Then, at least, she had been in a lot better health, and Jennifer had learned from that experience that this sort of thing wasn't something she could handle herself. As she spied the mist drifting into the library and she paused outside, grabbing her watch and flipping it open. Well of course he's in his room, she thought to herself, it was nearly four in the morning. But as she turned and moved to put it back in her cloak, the watch was wrenched from her hand and she gasped in surprise as it floated out of reach, laughter following it.

"Give me that back!" Jennifer shouted, "Or you'll regret it!"

"You can't hit what you can't see!" laughed the Imp from behind her, the watch disappearing out of sight. "Tell me where the Tome is, and I will give it back."

"What Tome?" Jennifer said.

"Oh, you know which Tome. The Tome everyone is looking for, written in Merlin's own hand. The one that Mordred's blood would kill to get his hands on again," the Imp said in a taunting voice. "Give it to me and I shall assure you it won't fall into his hands."

"Oh, great, that makes my life complete, now I know everyone has a descendant," Jennifer said out of pure annoyance. "I don't know where the Tome is. Give me back my watch."

"You're lying," the Imp snarled, his face appearing in front of her several times larger than its normal size. "Naughty Truth Seekers that lie must be punished. Go wash out your mouth with soap, or better yet, just take a bath, you smell like a potion cabinet."

A sudden force hit her as the windows at the end of the hall flew open and she felt herself forced out of one, plunging into the frigid waters below the lake. The drop was enough to propel her nearly to the lake floor as she struggled to swim for the surface. But as the light began to improve, she hit something hard, for a thick layer of glass covered the lake's surface. Frantically she reached in her cloak and brought out a Gill potion, pushing the lid out of the way with her tongue and drinking down the entire phial before she could finally breathe. One thing was sure, that Imp possessed a lot of Wild Magic, more than she was used to dealing with.

As she finally countered the spell on the lake and made her way out of the water, she pondered that perhaps stopping to speak to it wasn't exactly the most brilliant idea she'd ever had. Now it had her watch, and with it, a way to track Severus' every movement.

"He's gonna kill me," Jennifer muttered weakly to herself as she finally climbed onto the steps, managing to get off a dry spell. She had to get that watch back before the Imp was able to find their rooms. Two by two she began taking the stairs with only her adrenalin to keep her company, knowing that she was going to have to act fast to do anything. But even as she reached the gate and started up the main stairs her strength began to ebb and she found her head spinning, forced to sit a minute on the landing and close her eyes. It was only a moment later she felt hands around her shoulders.

"Jennifer? Jennifer, what are you doing out here? Out of bed?" Francis Pyther, who had been working on some paintings in the hall above her had looked over the rail as Jennifer came pelting up the stairs and stop, racing down to meet her with obvious concern. "Let's get you back."

"No, no wait, there's an Imp, a pretty powerful one, I think he's heading to our rooms. I'm not sure the painting will stop him," Jennifer said.

"An Imp?" Pyther said, trying to hide the sudden fear that was threatening to well up inside. "Now, now, let's not panic. You need the painting to stop him? That I can do. But we need to get help, right away," he said, glancing up at the wall beside them. "Well, don't just hang there, you heard the woman, make sure Dewhurst and the Dragon stop that Imp!" he told them, and several of the paintings next to them suddenly became vacant.

"You want us to round it up somewhere?" another painting suggested. Caprica Dusthorn had stepped into one of the vacant frames, looking eager to help.

"Yes, very good suggestion. Maybe the ghosts could help too. Where would be a good place?" Pyther wondered, looking to Jennifer. Jennifer looked around, noting she was on the landing to the second floor.

"Let's get it in the sparring gym," Jennifer said. "I think I have an idea of how to distract it long enough to capture it."

The Imp was very much enjoying his new toy. It was giggling to itself, marveling at how clever the wizard folk had gotten, following the arrow with keen interest until it reached a painting of a sleeping dragon.

The only problem was, the dragon wasn't sleeping.

In fact, he was staring quite dangerously at the Imp in a way that the Imp didn't particularly like.

Suddenly, the painting began to move as if it were going to jump out of its own frame and then much to the Imp's surprise a giant ghostly dragonhead snapped at him and it floated out of the way as the dragon came squeezing out of it. The painting next to it, a bright-eyed Raven also burst out in a ghostly form, calling out loudly and flapping its wings.

The Imp began casting spells at them but they went right through them. Then before it could think about why that might be, more began to come out of the paintings around them, Gryffins and Manticores and Badgers and Knights and Wizards began to appear, and the Imp turned into a mist and dropped down the center of the stairwell. But the lower levels were also filled with beasts, and it was forced to veer away from all the creatures coming every which way to get at it until it found itself diving into the seemingly empty gym.

It reformed into an Imp then, gazing at all the mirrors on the walls and sniffing at the lack of books, quickly noting the open windows above. It was just as it was about to leave that it suddenly the reflection of another Imp in a tall floor mirror, which was sniggering at him.

"Some Imp you are," the mirror said. The Imp on the other side's lips didn't move, but was eyeing him challengingly. "You're no expert of your magic. You couldn't even get past a painting let alone find a silly book. I bet your master won't be pleased, oh no. He should have employed me instead, I would have gotten it long before now."

"Who are you to speak, an Imp locked behind silver?" the Imp snarled as the mirror Imp took a fighting position, hands out as if ready to cast or fend off a spell. "Any Imp fool enough to get himself trapped in a room full of silver deserves to get his magic weakened by it."

"True enough," Jennifer said from behind the Imp, launching the bag of powder at him. The open bag spilled out over him and the Imp turned around with a dazed look, amazed at all the pretty colors sweeping before its eyes as it tried to focus in on the three Jennifers standing in front of him.

"Oh…I see, it's you again," the Imp said in a slurring voice, slowly trying to snap its fingers before falling flat on its face.

Exhausted, Jennifer fell to her knees, wondering if he had felt with the Fairynip half as dizzy as she was feeling now without it, taking a moment to grab the watch and put it safely away. A moment later Pyther was there, cutting a very wide berth around the Imp and coming up nervously behind Jennifer, followed by the Raven, which changed back into the ghostly form of Icarus, and the Dragon, who turned back into the form of Janus.

"It worked! Are you all right? You don't look well at all. Is he quite safe? Perhaps we should be out of here," Pyther said worriedly.

"The Imp should be asleep for hours, but we need to contain him before he wakes," Jennifer said tiredly.

"I believe Caprica went to get Dumbledore," Icarus reassured him. "I'm sure he can take care of that."

"Oh, dear, we had best get Jennifer back to the hospital wing this very instant before anyone else wakes up," Pyther said insistently, trying to help her up. "I shudder to think what would happen if Snape saw us carting her about, let alone that we've been helping her chase an Imp around the campus."

"Well, you're about to find out," snapped Severus from the doorway. Francis turned around and shrieked in terror, falling into the ground in a faint. Janus stared at the vampire.

"This is the best we could do as a representative?" he asked with disgust.

"His blood's a bit thin, well, nonexistent really," Icarus admitted with a somber face. "But he isn't a bad chap." Severus cast an odd red containment field around the Imp then walked right though the two conversing ghosts to get to Jennifer, picking her up.

"No, wait, I'm not going anywhere without Pyther," Jennifer protested, pointing her wand at the door and shutting it.

"You're going back to your bed and then I want a full and complete explanation of why you are out of it," Severus snapped angrily. "Now open that door."

"Not without Pyther, it can't be more than an hour before dawn and he might not wake up right away," Jennifer said stubbornly, struggling to get out of his grip.

"Your point?" Severus said unconcernedly.

"He helped save my life," Jennifer said starkly. Severus sighed sharply and growled low in his throat, putting her down gently. Then he turned and violently he picked up Pyther by the collar, jerking the petrified painter awake as he brought him up to stand, looking straight in his face.

"I hate undead. I hate vampires. And I most especially hate you," Severus growled at him. Trembling like a leaf, Pyther gulped and nodded.

"Yes, sir, I've noticed that."

"Fortunately for you, you're staff now, and I make it a point not to kill staff without Dumbledore's permission. But if you want to retain that position, I suggest you leave now before I forget that," Severus warned, letting go of his collar. Pyther let out a squeaking noise then that sounded like an attempt to reply before he dove down the hallway and quickly down the stairs. "Happy now?" Severus scowled at Jennifer, opening the door and picking her up. "If Dumbledore makes it down here before I return, tell him I'll be back in a moment," he told to the two ghosts, "I'm sure you can handle things until one of us gets here," he added as he left.

"Did that boy just put us on guard duty?" Janus huffed indignantly.

"It certainly sounded that way," Icarus said glumly, sitting down. "I suppose that's all we're good for anymore." There was a short silence as the two ghosts started at the Imp, still sleeping in the dust.

"I thought my interpretation of the dragon was rather convincing myself," Janus said.

"Oh yes," Icarus agreed, "Yes indeed it was."

Severus briskly walked to the ward, not saying a single word as they left the room about what had happened.

"You really didn't have to be so hard on Pyther," Jennifer said softly, not for the first time.

"Don't start," Severus snapped.

"I probably wouldn't have captured that Imp without his help," she added.

"You shouldn't have been trying in the first place. Your job right now is only to get well. I swear I'm going to tell Rasputin to petrify you the next time you attempt to leave without permission."

"Oh, come now, Severus. Rasputin is a big softie, and he'd no more petrify me than you would tell him to do so," Jennifer said with a crooked smile. "Put on your hard face all you like for Pyther and the rest, but I know you better than that. Besides, you've no reason to be afraid of him any longer…"

"I'm not afraid of him," Severus snapped quickly, then calmed himself. "Only of what he reminds me of." Jennifer gazed at him lovingly, knowing that had been harder for him to admit to himself than to her. She leaned into him contentedly, and would have rather stayed there than to go back into the hospital again, especially when they arrived to find the lights brightened all around and Poppy and Minerva standing in the middle of the main room in their night clothes and robes and Sagittari who hadn't even bothered to put on a shirt, all looking up in pure relief when Severus walked in.

"We were afraid someone might have kidnapped her," Poppy said frantically, opening the door wide so Severus could get to the back. "Whoever ransacked the room?"

"There was an Imp," Jennifer explained, trying to ward off all the fuss as they insisted on getting her back to bed, potions brought to her lips that she pushed away. "But I caught him. He's asleep now. He was after the Tome, and was going through every open room he could find. A lot of other rooms have been ransacked as well," Jennifer explained. "But I heard him in here and decided I had better follow him."

"It was an insane thing to do, why on earth didn't you get me when you know quite well I'm right next door," Poppy scolded. She nodded to Dumbledore as he entered behind them.

"I felt all right when I woke up," Jennifer protested. "I thought I could handle one little Imp. Well, actually, his magic did have a bit more punch than I expected," Jennifer admitted carefully, having no inclination of telling Severus exactly where she had ended up. "But Pyther was still working, and he found me and rallied the paintings and ghosts to help round it up so I could catch it."

"Well, I suppose it's a good thing Pyther was in the castle then," Dumbledore said in a tone that made Severus look quite chagrined. "Well done, both of you. I have already taken the Imp to somewhere safer to speak to him, and have contacted the Ministry. Perhaps we can finally find out something of our attacker. Sagittari, once everyone is here and Jennifer is settled, I'd like you to come speak to him as well."

"Of course, Professor."

"Wait, I want to hear what he has to say," Jennifer said, instantly receiving several sets of furrowed brows frowning at her.

"You, Jennifer, are going to stay in that bed until I release you from it if I have to shackle you to it," Sagittari said firmly. "That's the only way you're going to be able to be well enough to teach next week." Jennifer's face brightened considerably. "But that's only if you rested and if I've decided you've not overextended yourself with whatever adventure you had tonight, and if you promise not to leave the castle until I give you leave. I need you to get as strong as you can as quick as you can to get your child back where it belongs before your body forgets you are pregnant, potions or no potions."

"I miss my children," Jennifer protested tiredly, pushing away the two potion bottles from her nose again. "And I want to go to Hogsmeade next weekend."

"Positively out of the question," Sagittari said firmly, glancing around. "And as you can see I have witnesses to note that order."

"You had better do what he says," Dumbledore recommended. "I believe Minerva would very much like you back to your job again," he said mischievously.  
"Without a doubt in that, Professor," Minerva said smiling thinly.

"And so do I, although mostly I think it'll be nice not to have Severus stomping down the halls and breaking door hinges as he's prone to do when you're not around," Dumbledore added with a wink.

"I haven't broken a door in days," Severus protested with a frown. "But I swear I'll help Sagittari nail this one shut if you think about pulling what you did tonight again."

"Perhaps after our meeting tonight you should come back and keep an eye on her," Dumbledore suggested to Severus, who nodded curtly. "And Sagittari, after she has a full night…or morning's rest, rather, perhaps you would allow her to return to her rooms tomorrow evening. I'm sure Severus is more than capable of making her follow any strict orders you have." Sagittari was about to protest, but made the mistake of glancing at the glow appearing on Jennifer's face, one that he had missed as much as everyone the three weeks she had been there.

"Oh, very well," Sagittari frowned. "But expect daily checkups from now on. And enough stalling, take your potions," he ordered. Grimacing as she took the first one she dutifully took them both, not complaining when Poppy decided to sit with her a bit and read as the others filed out, Severus gazing at her long enough to let her read his thoughts before following Dumbledore and Minerva out of the room.

* * *

The Imp was hardly cooperative. Severus had wakened him with a sour mix of stinkweed, aconite, and camphor, but as groggy as it was, it clamped its mouth shut, refusing to utter one word. Severus wished not for the first time that the fae blood would be susceptible to Veritaserum, but all the wishes and throat pouring in the world didn't seem to help the matter. Dumbledore gently told him then that was quite enough, and called in someone that Severus had only seen briefly a couple of times before. It was Dobby the House Elf, recently promoted to Head Elf of the Castle. He bowed gentile-like to Dumbledore and smiled brightly when he appeared, but the smile didn't last when he saw the creature they were holding, chained to the chair he was sitting on with silver chains. House Elves and Imps had been enemies since as long as anyone could remember…each one seeing the other as nothing but what only the lowest of wizards would employ.

"Thank you for coming Dobby, I was wondering if you happened to recognize this particular Imp?" Dumbledore asked. "He's been most reluctant to tell us anything."

"Dobby doesn't know this one, Headmaster, Dobby would have recognized that horrid smell before," Dobby said, walking cautiously to one side to get a better look. Severus couldn't help but agree. There was a rather odd smell to the Imp…familiar…like a rare ingredient he had chanced to use on occasion…but he couldn't figure out what it was.

"He was searching for a book hidden in this school. Do you think you could find out if your former master might have sent him?" Dumbledore asked.

"Oh, Dobby could, yes, but Dobby doesn't think that would be like Malfoy, sir. He would never trust a creature like that to do something like this," Dobby said, ignoring the jeering look coming from the Imp. "Let alone a mere House Elf. He would not, sir, especially after, well, what happened, sir," Dobby said, reluctant to talk of the matter in front of the other professors.

"Professor, he does have a point. This doesn't fit anything Malfoy would do," Severus admitted, still eyeing the Imp thoughtfully.

"Yes, but if we eliminate him, that would mean that we have yet another person out to find that book, and if I'm not mistaken, I do believe it's quite likely that there's a connection between all three incidents these creatures have appeared to us; this one, the attack at the wedding, and the attack on your sister," Dumbledore said, studying the Imp carefully. But the Imp only glared back without concern. Severus began to say something but decided to wait.

"What are we going to do to with the Imp in the meantime, Professor?" Minerva asked.

"The Ministry should be on their way to pick it up soon, and then it'll be detained in the Creatures department until it either talks or an owner comes to claim him," Dumbledore said.

"Now why do I get the feeling the owner will never come forward," Minerva said dryly.

"Yes, strange that, I seem to have the same feeling," Dumbledore said, glancing over at Sagittari. "Doctor, do you think you could make some inquiries of some of the other wild magic beings and see if they haven't heard of a witch or wizard employing an unordinary amount of Imps in the last year or two?" Sagittari nodded.

"Of course, Headmaster. And since Imps aren't well known for keeping quiet, or their loyalty, I'm sure we'll be hearing more from this one quite soon," Sagittari said, smiling at the Imp who proceeded to make faces at the centaur.

It wasn't long after that a tired Deputy of Magical Creatures arrived with a couple of guards came to take it away, providing a quite sturdy little Elf cage to slip the Imp into. The Imp was quite furious at being put in such a small space, trying to snap its fingers and shake the bars and everything else it could think of as it was taken away, the Headmaster thanking them gratefully for their assistance.

"Now that that is over, I dare say we all probably need a short nap before breakfast. Come to think of it, I may skip breakfast," Dumbledore admitted with a slight yawn.

"Professor," Severus said, drawing back from the other Professors to walk next to Dumbledore as the others headed to their rooms. "I'm not sure we can consider the first incident at the wedding as a part of this. After all, Jennifer got Fudge to admit that had been his doing."

"Yes," Dumbledore nodded, "That is true, but I still believe they probably have the same origin. Fudge had made any number of connections over the years, and he had to have gotten the Imp from somewhere. After all, Fudge had a few House Elves in his employ, and left to themselves, Imps and Elves will fight quite savagely, you know, so I doubt he would keep both on hand."

"If it is connected to that incident as well, I think it would be hard to miss what direction it'd be coming from," Severus said darkly. "The Order of Equinox seemed to always have a hand in everything Fudge did after he left. And you said yourself that Balmweed was one of the first people in your office the day after Jennifer was poisoned…"

"Now, Severus, let's not jump to conclusions. I agree in that it does look entirely suspicious, but we have no real evidence of any of it. Equinox is a very old and prestigious order, long sworn to protect ancient artifacts and relics, it isn't unreasonable to think they would be concerned over some of the things we're uncovering," Dumbledore said.

"Yes," Severus said, lost in thought.


	17. Contemplating Suspects

Chapter Seventeen

Contemplating Suspects

It wasn't long before Severus did hear something, for when Harry Potter returned with Vallid from the States trip a week later he had immediately gone to see the Imp, and as usual had a certain knack for getting such creatures to speak with him. It was Friday during his first year class that a note arrived for Severus, stating that Harry would meet him at Hogsmeade the next morning to speak of it. Severus, who was debating whether or not to go at all since Jennifer had to stay, decided he could at least attend long enough to find out whatever it was that Harry had for him, and perhaps even stay to take care of another matter he had been contemplating.

He regretted that decision when he woke the next day, for it had gotten very cold the night before. Jennifer must have slipped out of bed at some point while he was sleeping, for nearly every window was open and blowing in the icy air. Jennifer herself was so tightly wrapped around him that Severus wasn't quite sure just how he managed to slowly pry her away without waking her and then very reluctantly slipped out of bed, waving the windows shut. He gazed at her for a long time before he let out a long sigh and began to get dressed, feeling quite irritated that he couldn't have stayed and spent a quiet day in their rooms.

There was already a bustle in the Great Hall as students began to come down for breakfast, chattering excitedly about the trip, although Severus still had reservations on whether or not this trip was truly a good idea. He paused only long enough to mutter to Corey and slip a galleon in his pocket before walking towards the staff room.

"What was that all about, Corey?" Taylor wanted to know after they got done eating a few minutes later.

"Dad doesn't wanna be seen going in to Honeydukes to buy chocolate frogs for Mom," Corey whispered to him. The two of them had a good chuckle.

"Yeah, I can see that, after how many times he's condemned them," Taylor grinned.

"I can't wait until we can get Essie in there, she's going to totally love it at Honeydukes," Corey grinned. "Hey, I wonder where she is this morning, anyhow? She wasn't at breakfast."

"Hey guys!" The two of them looked up to see Danny hurrying over to where they stood outside the hall. "Sorry I'm late, but I had to take care of something for my cousin. Family business," she explained. Corey and Taylor glanced at each other. They knew any time she said that they wouldn't get any details of what she meant. "Any sign of Doug?"

"Who cares?" Corey glowered. But the other two ignored him.

"I saw him just before breakfast in the courtyard talking to that mouse of his," Taylor sighed. "I say, I wish he'd talk to us."

"I agree, Taylor. Corey, don't you think this thing between the two of you is getting a bit out of hand?" Danny said. "Have you even tried explaining to him what happened?"

"Like he'd listen! All the sudden he's been accusing me of intentionally getting in his way. He even told Gail that the only reason I rejoined sparring again was to spite him, but really, that's not it at all," Corey complained, revealing how upset he really was over the ongoing war. "I don't know what to do, Danny. But I don't think this 'he'll get over it in time' thing is going to happen. He really thinks I'm doing things just to make him look bad."

"That doesn't sound like he's mad at you, Corey," Danny said thoughtfully. "It sounds more like he's mad at himself."

"Why would he be mad at himself because of what I did at that stupid Quidditch game?" Corey asked.

"Maybe it's not really about the game?" Taylor suggested. Corey frowned at that, suddenly concerned about his wayward friend. "Corey, you're one of the most popular guys in school, and you always have been. You ace any test that doesn't have essays because of that memory of yours and hardly ever have to study. You have professors as parents, and nine times out of ten, you get away with just about anything you want to do. Things just always go your way. Maybe he's feeling a bit upstaged?"

"Oh come on, Taylor, aren't you exaggerating a bit? I mean, Danny here's top student, after all, not me, not to mention the best Seeker since Potter. You are keen at writing in a way I couldn't even dream of trying myself. And Doug…" Corey had to think a moment. "Doug has a way with women," Corey said finally. "Nobody has had more study dates with more girls than he has. He's a charmer."

"Yes, well, the problem with that is, you could be too if you wanted to be," Danny said.

"Especially Katie, she's had a crush on you since first year," Taylor said. "And she still won't go out with Doug."

"Well if it's about Katie, I can talk to her about him."

"No, Corey, it's more than just that," Danny said. "Maybe he does just need some time apart to, well, figure out who he is."

"If only he didn't seem to think he needed to be mad at me to do that," Corey said with a sigh.

* * *

Essie rushed back to her room to finish getting ready for her first Hogsmeade trip and found Angela sitting on the bed waiting for her, already bundled with her coat and scarf on.

"You'd better hurry, I don't want to miss the bus," Angela said as Essie hurried to get her coat. "What in the world took you so long?"

"I'm sorry, he's just so lonely right now. He needed someone to talk to," Essie explained, grabbing her scarf.

"Essie, he spent all afternoon studying with Gail yesterday, and has a date to spend today with Lisa at Hogsmeade," Angela reminded her sternly. "I don't think he's lonely."

"He is for his friends," Essie explained. "I need to find a way to get them back together again."

"Well if you ask me, I think the whole thing going on between Corey and him is just plain silly. What they need is just to duke it out and get it out of their system," Angela said.

"Wouldn't that just make things worse?" Essie said in surprise.

"Nah, they're men. Beating each other up is what make them bond," Angela explained as they headed downstairs. "At least, that's what my father always says when my three older brothers start brawling."

"I don't think I'll ever understand men," Essie said, hurrying after her.

A light snow drifted in a soft wind as the students headed off the bus, quickly racing to be the first in line to their favorite shops. Corey quickly joined Essie, just as eager for her to be there as she was, and pretty soon, Essie, Angela, Corey, Danny and Taylor were all heading for Honeydukes, chatting excitedly.

"Just let me know if you see anything you want, Essie, I have to pick some things up for Craw and will have plenty of change left," Corey grinned.

"Can we go to the joke shop next?" Angela asked.

"Sure, Angela. It's best to hit Honeydukes first thing though. It packs up pretty full right before noon," Corey said. "We can hit Dragonwing Deli for sandwiches, and then maybe the Three Brooms later on."

"Corey has it down to a formula," Danny laughed.

"Well, I hate waiting in long lines," Corey explained as they stepped into the shop. Several others were there trying to beat the crowds, but for the most part, Essie found that she could easily get around, recognizing many of the candies that Corey had got her on previous trips and some she hadn't seen before. Angela seemed to be interested in picking up a bit of everything, while Danny and Taylor stuck mainly with frogs. Just then Essie noticed something creeping across the counter and squealed, suddenly losing her appetite for candy as she noticed some large, hairy black bugs scurrying on the counter and hiding behind the jars.

"Ah yes, those are new this year, licorice beetles," the clerk said cheerfully. "Lifelike, aren't they? If you eat them whole they wriggle on the way down too. Care to try one?"

"Er, no thanks," Essie said edging away from the counter, and Taylor and Angela quickly did the same

"Oh come on, it's only candy," Danny said. "Do they come in any other flavors though?"

"I think I'll get some for Snape," Corey grinned. "Although I doubt he'll like his licorice quite this animated. Maybe I'll get some for Alex too."

"Any collector cards in them?" Taylor asked.

"Not yet, but I haven't given up hope," the clerk chuckled.

Angela bought quite a few of them as well, but Essie decided to just stick to things that didn't wriggle. Bags in hand, the five of them headed back out towards the joke shop. Across the street near the Three Brooms, Essie, who had been discreetly looking around for any signs of Doug, saw him and Lisa sitting on the steps outside the Three Brooms, sipping on something that reminded her of root beer floats. But it was somewhat obvious that Doug wasn't having much fun, because Liam and Casper were hovering nearby, the two of them watching the couple with obvious suspicion. Poor Doug, Essie chuckled to herself. It was bad enough having to worry about dealing with an overprotective brother without having to worry about him being a Slytherin to boot. Danny noticed them as well, waving over to them. Lisa smiled and waved back, along with Doug.

"Never thought Doug was the type to date a Slytherin," Corey said coolly, not even looking in their direction.

"I never thought I was either," Taylor put in defensively, not liking the tone Corey's voice and taking Danny's hand.

"Let's not bring houses into this today, alright?" Danny said, frowning at Corey. "Don't forget what the Hat said."

"I don't forget anything," Corey pointed out as they headed into the shop, "But I doubt the Hat was advocating a 'why don't we all just get along' policy from that silly rhyme."

The small shop was packed with wares and students alike, some of the shelves color -coded to make things simpler on the students.

"It's really simple, Essie. Green labeled things are things that haven't been banned from Hogwarts. Yellow are things you need to be a certain age to buy them, usually fifteen, and red means they're banned at Hogwarts. You can still buy them," Corey explained, "but you have to sign this sort of contract that you won't use them on school property. And once you sign it, everything you buy that's red has your name magically written on it, so if you do get caught, you're really caught," he said ominously.

"Could you get some things off the yellow shelf for me, Corey?" Angela asked hopefully. Corey grinned.

"Sure, Angela. Just get what you like," Corey said. "What about you, Essie?"

"I'm going to the green section," Essie chuckled. "I take enough chances as it is."

"Really, like what?" Corey asked curiously.

"Oh, uh…being late to class and things like that," Essie said quickly.

"Well, she's definitely late for class a lot," Angela agreed. Essie gave her a dirty look.

"So are you. Is it my fault the Defense room is so far from the Divination room? And who can't help to be late for Sinistra's class, it's so hard to wake up in the middle of the night for Astrology." Corey chuckled.

"Yeah, I was always late for that class too," Corey grinned, glancing at the red shelf. "Hey, look! It's WWW Exploding Bubble Gum! When did the shop start marketing the Weasley twin's stuff?"

"Neat, maybe I can get some Fizzling Potion Pellets," Danny said, looking. "Aw, those are on the red list too."

"Looks like everything WWW in the shop is on the red shelves," Angela noted. "I'm getting some wizard crackers." As she turned to head towards the back of the shop she noticed someone ducked on the other side of the shelves, trying to make a swift exit. "Victor Greisley! What have you got in that sack?"

"Mind your own business," snarled Victor, who suddenly made a play at looking something off the bottom shelves and putting it back. "Or do you want me to tell the professors that you're getting older students to buy things you're not supposed to have?"

Corey looked over then, a dangerous spark in his eye.

"I'd stop while you're still standing up, Victor," Danny suggested warningly. Greisley looked between them a moment before resuming his walk towards the door, making a face at Essie and Angela the moment his back was turned to Corey and Danny.

"I really ought to fry that little twit," Corey said when he left.

"He really can be a pain at times," Danny admitted. "But he doesn't have the best family life in the world. Leave him be, Corey."

"Don't worry, Corey, we can handle it," Angela insisted, still glaring at the door. But Essie couldn't help but wonder if Angela was saying that for her own benefit or Greisley's.

It was as they were leaving the shop and wondering what to do next when Taylor suggested they get sandwiches and walk to the Grove for lunch.

"It's not as cold now that the sun's up, and I really would like to see how the trees are coming along," Taylor said.

"I doubt they'll look like much this time of year," Danny said, "But then I doubt anyone else will be in the Grove in this weather, so at least it'll be quiet."

"What's the Grove?" Angela asked.

"It's a garden of trees they planted where Salazar's Tomb used to be," Corey explained. "It's really pretty in the summer. But ever since it was put there folks have thought the Grove a bit, well, odd, somehow."

"In what way?" Angela asked curiously.

"I don't know, no one has ever really said," he shrugged. "Come on, let's go get some sandwiches." As they headed down the street, Angela stopped, looking over at two men in front of the Three Brooms.

"Is that Harry Potter standing with Snape?" Angela asked. She'd only seen him briefly once before, at the dance after Craw was poisoned.

"Yeah, I wonder if he's found out anything about Mom," Corey said, waving in their direction. Harry waved back at Corey, and then Snape squinted at him, making a gesture for him to come over.

"You guys get us a spot in line, I'll be right back," Corey told them, walking to where Snape and Harry had stepped to the side, away from the main crowd going in. "Need me for something, Professor?" Corey asked hopefully.

"No, but I want you to stay alert. It seems that Malfoy lost his case against the Wand yesterday and he's quite likely to be in a foul disposition. I'd rather you didn't accompany Nelson today," Severus said.

"But we were all going to go to the Grove for a picnic," Corey protested. Severus stared at him.

"In this weather?" he asked suspiciously.

"Mom would have gone over there, if she'd been here," Corey said.

"I'm not even going to go into this now," Severus snapped, loudly enough that several of the students nearby hurried rapidly past them. He lowered his voice. "And you have a lot to learn about trying to subtlety when you're trying to manipulate someone. Don't let your guard down, and meet me back here in an hour, is that quite understood?"

"Yes, sir."

"You know the way back if you get in trouble," Severus said, but Corey knew it wasn't a question. Nodding, Corey headed back to his friends, Severus' eyes watching him thoughtfully a moment until he noticed Harry looking at him with an amused look on his face. "Problem, Potter?"

"We'd better go get a seat before we get crowded out," Harry suggested, heading inside and towards the back and up the stairs to the balcony overlooking the main floor. "At least we don't have to worry about Lucius in here. Rosmerta would spark fire before letting him in here again."

"Never mind about that, tell me what you found out about the Imp," Severus said impatiently after quickly looking around for any onlookers, sitting down. "Who was it working for?"

"I haven't found that out yet," Harry sighed softly. "And I'm not quite sure the Imp can help it. It's like whoever's controlling it has a blind control over any Imp that comes within range, rather like Quirrell had with the trolls."

"Yes, only that trolls have so little brain power they aren't exactly hard for anyone to control," Severus frowned. "Some Imps are quite intelligent."

"This one was definitely no exception. Not to mention he was quite sure of itself, to the point that if it was released, it'd probably turn on whoever it was in a heartbeat if it could," Harry said. "There is no one registered in the Ministry with the ability, not even in the old Mystery files."

"No, I'm sure whoever had this ability would have kept it to themselves," Severus brooded. "Did he know anything about the Ladle?"

"No, not at all, he was only concerned with finding the Tome," Harry said, "In fact, he seemed quite intent with trying to find it before someone else did. You'll never guess who," Harry said sarcastically. Severus squinted at that.

"Malfoy?"

"Whoever sent the Imp doesn't particularly like him," Harry nodded.

"Yes, that narrows the field down, doesn't it?" Severus scowled.

"I'm also fairly sure the Imp had nothing against Jennifer…it did finally admit to nearly drowning her, but said it was only trying to get her out of the way when she tried to stop him," Harry said. Severus' look turned to one of complete surprise. "It wasn't personal," Harry added more cautiously, realizing from the unnerving expression appearing on the other man's face that he hadn't been told about that. "But there is one thing I can definitely say for sure. There is more than one person working against us. I don't think the same person that tried to kill Jennifer is the same one that has been sending these Imps." Severus leaned back in his chair, his frown deepening and a hand going to his chin in consternation. "Another thing, the Imp didn't seem to know where to look for the book…"

"Yes, and whoever broke into my office knew exactly where to look," Severus said. "Which means, whoever searched my office, and whoever poisoned Jennifer, must be someone in the school…" Severus said softly, not truly wanting to believe the obvious conclusion. He gazed at Harry to see the same dark look in his face as well. Severus gazed at his ring and flipped up his watch. "I should get back."

"I'm sure she's not in any danger at the moment. No one would attempt to go after her now with so many watching out for her," Harry pointed out.

"More than half the school and most of the staff are here today, anyone inside the school would know that," Severus said, getting up and putting on his cloak.

"What about Corey? Should I give him a message?" Harry asked. Severus stopped short in momentary indecision. Glancing at the ring, he sat down again.

"No, there's something important I need to do here," Severus frowned, tapping his fingers in frustration.

"You know… I haven't seen Jennifer since she's been out of bed. I'm sure she'd love some company right now," Harry said, getting up. Severus' expression changed dramatically. "I think I'll go get Ginny and head up to the castle for a bit. Let Sirius know where I went if you see him?" Harry said.

"Since when do I look like a post owl?" Severus asked gruffly. "Fine. Do that. But this still doesn't mean I like you."

"Anytime," Harry grinned, knowing that was the closest thing he would get to a thank you, waving to Rosmerta on his way out of the pub. Rosmerta continued on her way towards the table, a lopsided smile on her face as she saw Severus lurking in the far booth in perfect view of the floor below, shaking her head slightly as she put a glass of Black Anise wine on the table.

"Reliving your bachelor years today?" she joked lightly. "You know, several of the professors have already established a table downstairs..."

"Yes, and I remember what happened to me the last time I made a display of where I was in this establishment," Severus scowled, making Rosmerta all the more amused.

"Well, your sister's looking for you. Should I send her up, or are you hiding from her too?"

"Of course send her up," Severus said, peering over the side with a frown not having seen her come in.

"You got it," Rosmerta said, her smile widening slightly, "And would you tell your wife for me she's due a free drink next trip? It'll be worth it just to see her walk in the door again. Well, I'd better go see if my brother's arrived yet. Enjoy the drink," she added warmly, heading downstairs.

It wasn't long after that Anna came up the stairs with only a glass of water in hand as she made her way over and sat down, looking tired and cranky. But Severus, having seen Jennifer look this way three times before knew better than to comment on it, deciding to veer away from the topic of her health altogether.

"Good morning. Where is that dolt of a husband of yours today? I have a message for him. Apparently I've become everyone's messenger service today," Severus grunted.

"Sirius had another work emergency," Anna said with irritation. "He's been getting called away day and night at every hour with complaints of wizard houses revealing themselves to Muggles. It's gotten to the point between my work and his work we don't see each other at all."

"Perhaps you shouldn't be pushing yourself so hard anyhow, considering…" Severus checked himself and took a drink of his wine, but Anna's eyes were already flashing at him.

"Considering what? You don't think I'm capable of anything either, is that it?" Anna snapped. Severus sighed.

"You're not carrying just your own, Anna," Severus reminded her sternly, "And it's bound to make you a bit unstable if you're overstressed…"

"Unstable?" Anna said furiously, standing up. "You think I'm unstable? At least I have an excuse! At least I don't lurk in corners wearing black morning noon and night and criticizing everyone for things I have no business in!" she yelled at him, turning around and stomping down the stairs. Severus frowned after her, his eyes on her as she slammed her water down on the counter and stormed out the door.

"I knew I should have stayed in bed today," Severus grumbled to himself, taking one last sip before heading down, deciding someone had better look after her. But he was momentarily distracted as he saw Dumbledore standing near the bar talking to Rosmerta and decided he had better update him on what he'd found out before going after her.

* * *

Ice glistened like crystal on the leafless trees in the Grove, their trunks all nestled in blankets of pine needles and peat like sleeping babes. Bright green pines were scattered about along the paths and it seemed, to Corey at least, that they were quite happy to be there, catching snowflakes on their outstretched branches and contentedly watching as students and wizards wandered through. A centaur from the Dark Forest nearby solemnly nodded to the visitors as he paused to check on the saplings, while a myriad of birds, some of them types that Corey had never seen before, chirped softly in the branches above.

"What a magical place this is!" Essie whispered in awe and surprise. And as ironic as that sounded with having been to Hogwarts and Hogsmeade and the Dark Forest and so many other magic places, Corey couldn't help but to agree. There was a richness about the place, a healing calm that seemed to penetrate the skin and exist in the trees and plants around them. Even in the growing winter weather when so many of the Grove's denizens were resting, Corey could never recall being anywhere that felt so full of life; wild and yet somehow friendly at the same time. "What a perfect place for a picnic! It's positively lovely!"

"Hang on then, let me transfigure some of these bags into a bench or two," Danny suggested. "Mind you take out anything you want to munch on," she said as they quickly got out their sandwiches and she got out her wand, turning their parcels into two long benches, sitting underneath one of the larger elms, perhaps brought there from the forest itself. "You know, I haven't felt much like transforming since I came to live with my Uncle," Danny admitted, trying not to think too hard about running as a fox in her father's hunts. "But something about this place wants me just to change and run along the trees, as if it were more natural."

"Yeah," Essie said, and then quickly caught herself. "I mean…I can understand how you might feel that way. Maybe it's just that animals seem to belong here more than people."

"I don't know…I feel perfectly at home here even being a regular wizard. In fact, the whole place reminds me of Mom somehow," Corey said.

"What's odd is I feel even safer here than I do at Hogwarts," Angela put in, taking a bite of her sandwich. "I doubt anything unsavory could get in here if they tried." Just then, Danny heard her name called, and she groaned, taking a large bite of her sandwich before stowing it away.

"I think my cousin's heading this way," she explained, getting up.

"Well, that blows that theory," Corey snorted, getting a dirty look from Danny.

Danny then turned and waved up the path to where Draco was coming up the path. But Draco didn't seem to have the relaxed expression that the others had gotten when they entered the Grove. In fact, he looked quite uncomfortable.

"I should have known you were hanging around this crowd again," Draco frowned. "Good thing Father can't get in here or he'd probably be getting even more irritated than he is already," he said, shooting a glance at Corey who was glaring back at him.

"He can't get in?" Danny asked. Taylor got up so she could turn the bench that was made from her parcels back to normal.

"Every time he tries the path disappears and trees block his way," Draco shrugged. "He told me to come fetch you."

"Sounds like the Grove likes your dad about as much as the Wand does," Corey said.

"Nobody asked you for your input, Willowby," Draco said.

"I'll see all of you later, if not at the Brooms, then back at school," Danny waved. Draco nodded curtly to Taylor and Angela, ignoring the other two entirely as he and Danny walked back down the path.

"Guess us Muggle bloods aren't good enough to nod to," Corey said with distaste at the obvious omission.

"Shows what he knows then, I have a Grandmother who was a Muggle," Angela said cheerfully, taking another bite of her sandwich. Just then Corey got up, waving to the others.

"Where are you going?" Taylor asked suspiciously.

"I'm going to see what Malfoy is up to, of course," Corey said.

"I wouldn't, Uncle Severus won't like it," Essie warned him.

"But Malfoy can't get in," Corey grinned. "So if there's any trouble I can just Apparate in here and he won't be able to touch me."

"You don't have your license yet, you're going to get in trouble again," Taylor warned him.

"Just stay here with Angie and Essie, Taylor. I just want to see if I can find out what he's up to," Corey said, hurrying down the path. The other three shook their heads.

"And I thought you got into a lot of trouble," Angela said to Essie. Taylor looked over at Essie thoughtfully.

"Never compared to Corey," Essie protested, nibbling on her sandwich.

* * *

Corey crept up to the edge of the Grove, but they were well away from it by the time they got there, walking in the direction of the sport's shop. Well, Corey certainly had a valid reason to be in there, he grinned, quickly Disapparating and landing to the far side of the building and slipping in ahead of them, taking a moment to stare at the new broom models near the window. It was as they approached that Corey slipped to the back, and he felt an odd sense of déjà vu, remembering the first time he'd seen Lucius in there. It had been before he had found out that he was Danny's uncle, and what a shock that had been. But oddly enough, as unlike her uncle and her cousin that Danny was, Corey couldn't help but notice as they came in that she very much looked like one of the family, the same sharp, confident glint in her eyes that the others had.

Lucius himself had an added fire in his eyes, in no mood to put up with any resistance of any sort. First last week, discovering that Craw wasn't dead after all, and now this week losing his case against Grendelbane. Provoked indeed! One spell on its cabinet and they consider that provoked? Well, there were other ways to get even, he reminded himself, and Beowulf would surely help him find financial ways to do it.

"Here we are, sir, the best line of sparring gloves we have," the manager said, brining out a case. "Especially designed to improve grip and steady the hand."

"My niece has a steady hand, Mr. Marks, but a little improved agility never hurt," Lucius said evenly. Sparring gloves? Corey didn't know they were allowed to wear gloves.

"Ah yes, I know exactly the ones you mean," Mr. Marks said brightly, picking out one of the supple leather gloves and holding it out to Danny to try on. Danny did so, glancing in the mirror as she tightened them, whipping out her wand and pointing it at her reflection with lightning speed before nodding to her uncle.

"Very well, those will do, but do you have them in black? I don't think those would go with her uniform." Lucius said. Corey rolled his eyes. Suddenly he noticed that Danny had seen him behind her in the mirror and ducked back behind a stack of Quaffles. "Draco, why don't you go fetch your friend Amadeus? I think you should give him one of these for Christmas, don't you?" Lucius said, tapping a pair of the first ones they looked at. "And anyone else you know who might benefit from them," he added.

Corey growled softly in his throat. It was a sure bet that Lucius must have heard that he and Doug joined sparring club again this year, and that along with Perry's win over Amadeus last year was reason enough for him to want to help improve Slytherin's odds.

What sort of victory is it when you have to buy it? Nearly as bad as Draco buying the Sentinels so he could fire the old Seeker so he could play a season, Corey recalled. Justin had wasted no time in leaving and joining a home team, and the Canadian team then had their worst season in years. It wasn't a wonder Draco sold it so quickly a few months ago. In fact, Corey lost track of exactly what it was that Draco was doing now a days. It seemed like no matter what business he bought, he quickly got out of within a year or two.

Corey then began to wonder then if Snape would even let them use the gloves. Probably, Corey admitted. His dad never seemed to mind it when things were stacked in favor of his house. Remembering then he had promised to meet him, Corey skirted around where they had been standing to walk out of the shop. Unfortunately, he had forgotten that Draco had left a moment before, and just as he was leaving, Draco, Amadeus, Wyatt and Baylor were walking in, stopping short when they saw him come out.

"Willowby? What are you up to? Get out of our way," Draco said, glaring at him suspiciously.

"What do you mean what am I up to? I was looking at brooms, not that it's any of your business," Corey said.

"I thought you decided to quit after that embarrassing display you made your last game," Amadeus said in a nasty tone.

"You had a thought?" Corey said with mock surprise. "I didn't think puppets had their own thoughts, Longbottom. It isn't surprising the one you did have was wrong."

"Listen, you filthy…"

"What is this?" Lucius said from behind him. Corey, who had been clenching his fist to keep from raising his hand, leapt to the side, stepping warily away from him but without turning his back.

"Nothing, just this fool Muggleborn coming out and getting in our way again, funny how he keeps just showing up out of the blue," Draco said, eyeing him warily.

"Yes, especially since I don't recall ever seeing him go in," Lucius said, gazing at Corey who smiled thinly back. "Why don't you boys run along in and pick yourselves out some gloves? I'm sure Draco will sign for you."

"You won't stand a chance this year, Willowby, so much for your comeback," Amadeus sneered at him as he went in with the others. Draco followed up the rear, looking cautiously between Corey and his father before going in.

"I may be mistaken, but I'm quite sure that I've made it quite clear to you to stay out of my way," Lucius said darkly.

"Actually, you told me to learn my place, and my place is making sure that scum like you don't get away with buying supporters to put Ladles in punch bowls for you," Corey said.

Malfoy tsked at him and shook his head with a cold smile of utter distaste. "So quick to accuse, aren't we? Rest assured, Willowby, if that Ladle hadn't left my hands from the beginning, that deed would have been done correctly the first year she taught at Hogwarts with no one the wiser, and you, you Mudblood mutation, would never been have been 'discovered' and would have died along with the rest of your pathetic Muggle family."

"You son of a…" Corey quickly raised his hand but someone grabbed it and a sudden force hit Malfoy, propelling him back into the wall of the shop. Corey stared at him in surprise and looked up to see Anna there.

"You have something to say against Muggles, Malfoy, I dare you to say it to me," Anna said. "But leave my nephew alone."

"How dare you attack me?" Malfoy snarled, reaching for his cane.

"How dare you attempt to provoke Corey, hoping to get him expelled?" Anna said back. Corey stared at her in surprise, realizing she was probably right. "Don't bother drawing your wand, it's not going to work on me," she said in a cold tone that Corey had never heard her use before, a steel grey glow developing around her.

Slowly Corey began to back away, unsure of exactly what he was seeing, and realized Malfoy was doing the same, slowly moving his hand away from his cane. But Anna didn't look like she had any intention of backing down. "Care to see what a Muggle blood can do when pressed?"

"You may have been raised a Muggle, Black, but neither of your parents were Muggles," Malfoy said expressionlessly. "How is it that you are so ashamed of what you are that you would rather be a beggar over a queen?"

Anna's face suddenly paled, an expression on her face as if something had stabbed her. Just then Corey noticed Severus coming over to them with his wand out, and Lucius looked up squinting slightly. Severus arrived just in time to see the odd glow fading from Anna and gave a sharp look at Corey, who was trying to avoid his gaze.

"Might I ask what is going on here?" Severus asked warily, gazing at Malfoy.

Danny, Draco, Amadeus and the others came out then, their gloves on and chatting among themselves, but the five of them grew quiet when they saw the scene at hand. Lucius turned and nodded to them.

"I was merely shopping for my niece and her housemates, when your waif decided to accuse me of attempted murder. Really, Severus, isn't that getting a bit old? Or is that why you sent the foundling to get your information for you instead?" Lucius asked evenly.

"Lucius, I am not sure exactly what you did to provoke my sister and my son, and I am not about to get into it in front of students," Severus said evenly. "But I do intend to make one thing perfectly clear. Corey may not share my name, but I consider him as much my son as the others, and he will be referred to as such."

"Very well, Severus," Lucius said with a stiff nod, nudging Danny forward and stepping back onto the street, the others following behind while Severus, Anna and Corey watched from where they were. "Note that, now, children," he said quietly to his group, "Corey's now the son of a traitor instead a son of a Muggle. My, he is coming up in the world, isn't he?" Amadeus and Baylor snickered.

Severus watched them warily for a moment before turning to the other two, blinking when he noticed that his sister wasn't there.

"Where did your Aunt go?"

"She Disapparated a moment ago," Corey said.

"What do you mean she Disapparated?" Severus said in alarm. "Doesn't she realize she can't do that in her condition?"

"Dad, I've seen her, she does it all the time," Corey chuckled lightly. "She pops in and out of everywhere now more than she used to. I even saw her doing it to skip stairs in Hogwarts before. I thought people couldn't Apparate in Hogwarts?"

"Anna's magic works a bit differently than ours," Severus snapped, thinking on that.

"Maybe that's why she can do it pregnant too," Corey shrugged. "Does this mean we're not going to go ahead with the plan now?"

"No, we're still going to get this done," Severus said with a frown. "I'm sure she's all right. But I want to know exactly what Lucius said to you."

"I don't want to talk about it," Corey said. In fact, he was rather worried about what he would do if he heard exactly what Lucius had said. "Really, it's not important. I just asked him about the Ladle and…well, he implied he didn't have it."

"Of course he didn't, but that doesn't mean someone he knew didn't."

"Hey Dad," Corey said, following behind as Severus who had begun to walk back to the Three Brooms. "Anna can actually Apparate into Hogwarts and out without anyone knowing it, can't she?"

"I already said that, didn't I?" Severus snapped. "Actually, I think Dumbledore may know when she does, but I doubt anyone else would notice."

"Oh, well that would kill my theory then," Corey said disappointed.

"What theory?"

"That maybe it's another Aethermage getting into the school." Severus stopped short causing Corey to bump into him, staring at him for a long time.

"I think if there were we would know it by now," Severus said finally, but still wondered why he had never considered the possibility himself. It would explain how all of them would be connected…no, Harry was probably right. But that didn't mean he wasn't going to start taking extra precautions, just in case.


	18. Eye Openers

Chapter Eighteen

Eye Openers

Corey waved his friends over to a large circular table near the bar, a very nice spot with a view of everything, and near the long table that the professors often reserved for the day. Danny looked rather impressed at him having secured such a good location and said so as she and Taylor walked in. Angela walked in a moment later and was also waved over.

"Where's Essie?" Corey asked.

"Oh, she went to talk to Doug for a moment," Angela said.

"What for?" Corey said with a grimace. Angela shrugged at first, having promised Essie a long time ago that she wouldn't tell anyone about her crush on him.

"Perhaps she's trying to get the two of you to make up," Taylor suggested. Corey glared at him. "You know, you're just not the same without him around. The two of you used to always have a lot of laughs and now you've both gotten way too serious."

"There's a lot of serious stuff going on, Taylor," Corey said. "Which is another reason I think Doug is acting so silly."

"Well, I for one intend to go see Lisa and see how things are going," Danny said, getting up. Just then, she looked over at the door to see her uncle and cousin come back in and frowned. "What in the world? I thought they said they were leaving."

"I thought Rosmerta didn't want him in here," Taylor added to Corey.

"She doesn't," Corey said calmly.

But strangely enough, Rosmerta didn't seem too surprised to see him. Danny glanced quizzically at them but was quickly gestured to run along, and Danny decided to go out to where Lisa, Doug and Essie were standing. Corey's attention turned to Rosmerta, who was wiping her hands on her apron and giving Lucius a polite but cold smile, directing them to the professor's table where McGonagall stood and nodded to them politely as they took seats. The only other professor at the table, Snape, neither stood or acknowledged them, calmly reading his book while Lucius said something to McGonagall that Corey couldn't quite pick up. Then there was a rustle from the front of the room as Dumbledore, the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the board, Investigator Thurspire and Minister Weasley himself entered. McGonagall quickly excused herself saying that she needed to get back to the castle, and the others sat down, making for quite a gathering indeed.

"Thank you for meeting me with such short notice," Arthur said with a smile. "I thought that considering certain circumstances between certain parties…" he said glancing between Snape and Malfoy, who gazed warily at each other from across the table, "that it might be good to meet on neutral ground, and since we're all here in Hogsmeade anyhow, we might as well get it over with. I'd like to come to a mutual decision about what's to be done with the Tome of Merlin."

"What's to be done with it, Weasley?" Lucius asked suspiciously. "Come now, surely as Minister of Magic, you know the law states that stolen possessions go to its rightful owner after they're recovered."

"Yes, Lucius, that's true. The only problem is that you are not the rightful owner," Arthur said. Lucius stared at him. "On your behalf, I had Ed here look up your proof of ownership, and I did track it to that bookstore that you spoke of, but apparently the bookstore itself had not acquired it from legal means. It had been stolen from its rightful owner who had been murdered nearly thirty years ago. How it came to be at that shop and how it came that you might have know to look for it there is inconsequential, really," Arthur said, Lucius squinting at the hint of accusation in his tone.

. "But the point of the matter is, whether you bought it knowingly or not, that book was stolen property at the time you acquired it."

"Did you find out then who the rightful owner is then, Arthur?" Erik asked calmly.

"Yes, we did find the owner, the son of the deceased," Arthur said, not missing for an instant that Lucius' eyes went straight over to Severus and then over at the Tome he had so nonchalantly had in his hand as if a common textbook. "In fact, it was his idea to have this meeting."

"Yes," Severus said glancing up and placing the book in front of him so all could see, his hand never leaving it. "Because I have come to the conclusion that this Tome must be destroyed." Balmweed and Lucius immediately jumped up in surprise.

"You can't possibly be serious! Don't you have any idea what this is? What it may mean?" Balmweed shouted, lowering his voice slightly when Dumbledore reminded him there were students present. "Ancient magic is dying, we've all seen it! If you destroy it, you may be killing it completely! Give it to Equinox, Severus, please, let us find a solution before our world is gone forever!"

"The spells in here can be used by anyone, even those not born with magic, as Lorcan has already demonstrated," Severus said, making eye contact with them all but holding his gaze longest on Lucius. "It also holds a spell to open the gate to Tir Na Nog, which if improperly opened can also destroy our world," Severus said loudly, but Dumbledore made no gesture to quiet him. "I have had my wife, familiar, and the security of the school jeopardized by its presence. Magic failing or not, I want it to be made perfectly clear that this book is too dangerous to exist any longer."

"He's bluffing, he wouldn't destroy it," Lucius said calmly. "Either that or he'll destroy a different book and try to fool us into thinking he has." Severus, never letting his eyes off of him, stood and opened the book randomly so Lucius could see inside.

Balmweed desperately leaned over and tried to read what was on it, some sort of time related transportation spell. Thurspire and Arthur gazed at it with interest, and even Erik couldn't help but flicker a curious eye towards it. But before the several hands that reached over to touch it were able to brush a page leaf, Severus suddenly tossed it into the air as the rest of them yelped in surprise, while Corey, waiting at the table next to them, caught it neatly, much to the surprise of the students drinking their butterbeers along side him.

"Excuse me a minute guys," Corey said cheerfully standing up, keeping the book in plain sight of everyone watching him. Without a word he walked out of the Three Brooms and Severus calmly followed behind. Doug looked up at the crowd of people that ran out of the pub, while outside Corey began to trace a symbol in the air that appeared in the dust on the road as a complex matrix of overlapped circles. Irreverently, he tossed the Tome in the center, making sure it popped open so that those coming out could see it was the same book. Severus stood on the edge of the circle, glancing over at Dumbledore, who nodded gently to him.

"You can't be serious. You're not going to do it here?" Thurspire said in surprise, looking around. "Don't you think that'd be rather dangerous?"

"I'll try to contain the repercussions, Ederick, but I wouldn't object to any assistance anyone would like to give," Dumbledore said. Erik stepped up as well as Arthur, and Thurspire stared at them as Balmweed and Malfoy looked on, fervently trying to think of some way to stop it.

But before they could do anything, Severus took out his wand; an eerie, frightening look coming over him as he began intoning a spell that Ederick didn't recognize. A dark beam that seemed to absorb all light enveloped the book in a black sphere that slowly turned blood red in color, reflecting in everyone's face as the book burst into a column of flames that jetted off harmlessly towards the sky. After the light returned to normal, only some black ashes remained in the circle. Thurspire then saw a flash and turned to see Ron standing there, looking quite unsurprised as he wrote in his notebook and students gathered all around them trying to figure out what was going on.

"You can have your book back if you want, Lucius," Severus said evenly, stepping around the ashes, nodding to the others politely. "Now, if you don't mind, I think I'm going to go see Jennifer," he said, nodding to Corey as he left, leaving most of them standing there stunned. As Corey turned and went back in Three Brooms, he found himself followed by a crowd of students wanting to know what all that was about.

"Just having a bonding moment with my Dad is all," Corey said with a smirk.

"I always knew your family was weird, Corey," Gail commented as they walked in.

* * *

Jennifer had planned to spend the day getting ready for teaching again…phials were cleaned and inventory was taken, Hermione's notes about class progress was read and assignments looked over. After getting a handle on what material to add to her midterms, she had taken a break to read the post. A letter from her Muggle pen pal Dr. Linde was quickly opened and Jennifer squealed softly in delight, for apparently he was coming to a medical conference in the spring and was going to be there for two weeks in late April. She hadn't seen him since Anna's wedding when it had been revealed to many of Anna's closest friends and relatives what she was, and he had been one of the number of Muggles that had been allowed to retain the memory of it. Quickly marking it off on her calendar, she was about to pick up the next letter when she heard a frantic beating of wings against her door.

It was a bright-eyed peregrine holding a note in its beak, and Jennifer took it, wondering who owned the falcon. But Jennifer recognized the flowing handwriting at once as Carol's and she quickly opened it. She only had to read a few lines before making up her mind, stuffing the note in her pocket and grabbing her cloak. Yes, she knew she wasn't supposed to leave the castle, but this was an emergency. Resealing the door behind her, Jennifer hurried home. She never realized she had just missed Harry and Ginny, who appeared at the gates only a few minutes later.

Carol was pacing the floor of the living room when she arrived, the three children all in the pen, awake and wanting to come out. Carol looked at her with both relief and concern, seeing who it was and that she was alone.

"How bad is it?" Jennifer asked immediately, picking up the insistent Alex to give her a hug. "I've missed you!"

"We're as visible as it gets, Mrs. Snape, no doubt about that. It just started all the sudden, but there's several boats below and curious neighbors about," Carol said as Jennifer peered at the window a moment and then headed down to the family room. Carol had succeeded in drawing a curtain over the large opening, but even that, Jennifer was sure, looked rather odd indeed to the small fishing boats skirting the rocks below.

"Well, it's not like the house can be seen from the road at all, so we only have these few to worry about, at least," Jennifer sighed.

"I wish that were the truth, but I've had callers enough in the last hour or so…some sort of Muggle charity was about going door to door and made it all the way up this far, that's how I knew we were seen," Carol said, following her back up the stairs. "I already called Mr. Black and he said he'd be here as fast as he can. I contacted the Ministry as well, but seems we're not the only thing appearing at the moment and they'll get to us when they have the time."

"This is all we need right now," Jennifer said worriedly, looking at her children. Jennifer had quickly realized that her house being seen was more dangerous than just a few curious Muggles. If any of those happened to chat about it before something was done, the Secret that protected where they lived would also be in jeopardy. In fact, she had little doubt that anyone wanting to could probably find them at that moment. Jennifer stepped out on the porch to notice several people hanging out and chatting by the road, and when they saw her began walking back down it, waving. Jennifer, realizing she was still in her Hogwarts robes, rushed back in and quickly disguised it as a normal dress, putting Alex back down who had begun to cry.

"I'm going to go talk to them. Maybe even give the Ministry a head start obliviating."

"Be careful, Mrs. Snape," Carol said worriedly and Jennifer walked back out and towards the friendly looking crowd, feeling as if she were feeding herself to the lions.

Some seemed very familiar to her, and she realized she had met some of them before from an occasional trip to town with Corey or walking him to church, and they in turn seemed to brighten as she came near.

"Good afternoon," an elderly lady said. Jennifer realized from the pamphlets in her hand that she and the man warily standing beside her must have been the ones that Carol had mentioned going door to door. Several children and a woman who might have been one of their mothers, and a postman were there, smiling at her curiously. "Are you the lady of the house?"

"Er, yes, can I help you?" Jennifer said with a nervous smile.

"We just happened along and were wondering how long you've been in the neighborhood? Not much gets past us in Haven's Bluff, being such a small community and all, but that cottage had been abandoned for so long, and yet it seems you've done wonders with it! You must be new, then? I'm Mrs. Dimple, and this is my son, Bart. I don't suppose we could come see your home?"

"No! I mean, I'm sorry, but the place is rather untidy right now. Perhaps some other time," Jennifer said, smiling wanly.

"How long have you been in Haven's Bluff? I don't think I've gotten any post redirected here," the postman asked.

"Um no, we, uh, have our post delivered at work," Jennifer explained, hoping that wasn't too unusual an answer, looking around desperately. That was when she finally saw Rebecca and Mark walking around the corner, Rebecca with her mouth clamped in concern as they approached.

"Rebecca! Good to see you!" Jennifer said with relief.

"Jennifer, good to see you're feeling better," Rebecca said.

"Mrs. Hunt, could you introduce us to your neighbor? She seems rather reluctant to speak to us, and we only want to welcome her into the neighborhood…"

"Eliza Dimple, I thought you were raising funds for the auxiliary, not on another gossip run," Rebecca said, getting a look of surprise from Eliza. But Jennifer could easily tell that Rebecca was hardly far off. "Mary Clemmons, what are you doing here?"

"My daughter Mary told me that someone had restored the Pince place, so I thought to see who it was," she smiled good-naturedly. "We like to know our neighbors in case anything comes up. We look out for each other here."

"I'm quite sure Mrs. Snape doesn't need much looking after. I expect you should all be respecting their wishes to be just left alone," Rebecca said firmly. Jennifer didn't like this at all. They really were only trying to be nice, even if a bit nosy. They could hardly be blamed for their curiosity when they hadn't seen the house at all days before.

"Mrs. Snape?" Bart said, finally recognizing her. "You're the private school teacher that adopted Corey Willowby?"

"Yes, actually," Jennifer said. This was getting worse and worse. Now they had a name and an address.

"Ah, good to meet you!" the postman said cheerfully, offering his hand warmly, Jennifer took it carefully, looking worriedly at Rebecca. "I've always wondered exactly where your school is, Mrs. Snape, but Mrs. Hunt never seems to send post there," he said in a voice that indicated what he thought of a parent that sent no letters to a child away at school. Rebecca glowered at him.

"Oh it's, uh, up north," Jennifer said carefully, nodding. "Private school. I'm sure it's not interesting."

"What do you teach?" Eliza asked.

"Um…"

"You know it's rather cold, why don't we all go up to the farmhouse and talk?" Mark suggested. He had noticed the longer they stood there the more curious Haveners peered down the road to see what the fuss was about.

"Oh, but it's so long a walk for my old legs," Eliza said, looking at Jennifer hopefully.

"If I do happen to get any post for you, where should I redirect it to, Mrs. Snape?" the postman asked. Jennifer was debating whether or not to give him the Muggle address of the school and wondering how she could possibly cover all this up when yet another figure walked up the road that Jennifer recognized.

It was Father Pachem, the local pastor, who looked just as curious as the others who followed hurriedly behind him to take a gander at the mysterious appearing cottage. Pachem was one of the other folks in town who knew very well what the Snapes were, and had even been helping many Muggles who hadn't completely forgotten cope with the Christmas of four years ago. Dumbledore had mentioned to her before that he trusted him, but Jennifer had a hard time truly identifying with a man such a different background as hers and had barely spoken to him.

"Just give the post to me, and I'll make sure she gets it," Rebecca said quickly, not liking the gathering crowd any more than Jennifer.

"I'm sorry, but I didn't catch what it was you taught?" Eliza asked.

"Good afternoon, Jennifer," Pachem said cheerfully. "Well! What a lovely cottage! It's not supposed to be there, is it?" he said so matter-of-factly that Rebecca and Jennifer stared at him.

"Well, it must 'supposed' to be there, if it's there, isn't it?" The postman asked in confusion.

"Maybe it's a magic house that's only there some of the time," a seven-year old girl standing below Mary Clemmons said. Rebecca grew quite pale and Jennifer wondered if she could have even stood if Mark hadn't gotten hold of her.

"Out of the mouth of babes," Pachem smiled and winked. "It's quite cold out here, however. Jennifer, why don't you be a good sport and show us in?"

"Oh no! I can't," Jennifer said.

"Father Pachem, what are you doing?" Rebecca demanded. "You can't have them going in there!"

"Well it's certainly safer than standing out here until we end up with non-locals gaping as well, don't you think?" Pachem pointed out. Jennifer saw some sense in that, and the fact that if she were able to keep them all in one place it would be easier to obliviate them. All the stalling for the Ministry had hardly paid off, and standing there did seem to make it worse instead of better. What choice did she have really? Still, she had asked herself that same question when she let Corey in, and it had nearly cost her job.

"You all go on ahead, I'd better tend to some things," Mark said, whispering in Rebecca's ear, but then added, "Go on down if you like, Rebecca." Rebecca, who had an expression that revealed that she would rather be just about anywhere than in the position she was in now, stepped beside Jennifer as they walked back to the cottage. Mark in turn went towards the barn to get some red paint to make 'No Trespassing' signs. As Jennifer got to the door, Carol let them in with wide eyes as they all crowded into the tiny living room, gaping around at anything and everything.

"What the devil? Look at that picture, did you see that?" The postman said, pointing to the small frame on the corner desk that a picture of Snape had been in.

"Mum! Look at all these books! And look! This bookcase moves!"

"Did you see that? I could have sworn the toy that lad threw just went and picked itself up!"

"Wherever did all those cups on the table come from?"

Jennifer gazed over to the kitchen to see that sure enough, Mercy the House Elf had hurriedly poured warm cider and tea, enough for everyone to get what he or she liked.

"What adorable children! Are they yours?" Eliza asked, but Jennifer was quite tongue-tied, trying to grab them up before anyone else could.

"Please, please, settle down everyone, can you not see we're frightening them? After all, we're quite a mob to be coming on a front doorstep," Pachem said. "Especially unexpected."

"But what's making all of these things work? There's not an outlet in sight and no string of electric anywhere!" The postman asked.

"Well, I think that'd be as obvious as anything, don't you?" Eliza said. "It's magic, of course! I daresay Mrs. Snape and the good lady here must be Witches," she said with surety. "You know, just like my cousin Marcie."

"Ah, Marcie," several of them nodded knowingly.

"The one who used to walk about Bluff Street and hand out those gingerbread cookies at Christmas?" The postman asked.

"The children would tell us they moved about and no one would believe them for ages," Mary laughed remembering. "And then my daughter's cookie went and winked at me! Blimey if it didn't."

"Do you remember Old Uncle Spartan that lived down on Meadow?" another woman named Crista said, helping herself to a drink.

"I remember him, the old man with the fifty owls that used to chase me off the property when I first started working for the post service," the postman said.

"Well of course he did, Jack, he was a wizard," Eliza laughed, "Wizards don't use normal post, they use messenger birds. He was a nice old man though, he knew just what to feed plants and things…strange mixes they were, and smelly, but I dare say the Scott's next door had the best garden in town and he had something to do with it."

"Wait a moment, wasn't the Scott boy himself a wizard?" Jack said, "I suddenly recall picking him off the pavement a few times, and I swear when I asked him what he did he said he fell off his broom."

"Jack Martin, I swear you'd marry a witch and not even know it the way you close your eyes to it," Mary sighed at him.

"I've heard that June Wispin was a witch too, but I could never get anything out of Freda about it, rest her soul," Eliza said, gazing at Rebecca who stood staring at them all in complete surprise. "And I'm quite sure old Terra Pince was too, not that she was much of a mixer."

"Not many of them are," Bart shrugged. "Afraid we're going to burn them at the stake or something I suppose."

"Not in _this_ town," Mary said, holding her daughter to her, gazing over at Jennifer's petrified face. "Now don't you worry none about things like that, Mrs. Snape. Not one bit. We look after our own here, and our own means our neighbors and townsfolk and we take that seriously, no matter what your past."

"Not that we haven't had to run a person or two out of town on occasion," Bart chuckled. "There's a bad egg in every batch."

"But that doesn't mean throwing the good out with the bad," Eliza told her son. "Why, Rebecca, you look as if you've seen a ghost!"

"Jennifer, Rebecca, Carol," Pachem said with a warm smile. "Might I introduce you to your neighbors?"

It was not long after that they had all were invited downstairs where they could stretch, some of them curiously peering past the curtain. Jennifer, not seeing much use in hiding it then, told them nearly everything they asked about, even mentioning why they needed to be hidden so badly. After that they were quickly forgiven for not being 'neighborly' sooner, and took quick interest in the problem at hand, looking out at the several fishing boats beyond. Bart waved Jack over to see if he could identify any of the boats.

"No, I don't recognize any but one," Jack frowned, "that's Dale Parker's boat."

"We're going to need to figure a way to keep boats out of that inlet there, no telling what sort of riffraff might see your fine balcony here," Bart said. "I think a couple good placed hazards and some warning buoys might do it."

"Oh, I'm sure you need not go to any trouble, Sirius should be here at any time," Jennifer protested.

"It's no trouble at all, Mrs, Snape. Even if they do get your protection back up it'll help protect in case something like this happens again," Bart said. "If you could make some inquiries for us of some folks that might have some junk that might work, Father?"

"Of course, Bart, splendid idea," Pachem smiled as he bounced Andrew on his knee. Eliza was busy entertaining Alex, who was very much showing off for all the company, but Aurelius wouldn't have anything to do with any of them, screaming endlessly until he was put down in the play area where he sat and sucked his hand, glaring at them. Just then there was a loud noise and a tremble around them, and Carol quickly excused herself bringing a very tired looking Sirius down with her. But Sirius stopped short and paled when the rest of them waved at him.

"It's alright! Really!" Jennifer said, standing up from where she was sitting. "They knew already!" Sirius then stared at her.

"What are you doing here? I thought you were supposed to stay in the castle."

"Well, young man, what would you do if your house suddenly became a sight for any nosy old woman that happened by?" Eliza said boldly. "She did what any good Mum should and came to check on her children, and what lovely children they all are, too! My, she does look like you."

"Might I be getting just another spot more of tea?" Mary asked, peering into her cup, looking pleased when it filled back up. "Thank you very much." Sirius groaned and went over to Jennifer, pulling her aside.

"Jennifer, do I really need to tell you what's going to happen if Severus finds out you gone and then finds you playing hostess to half a Muggle town?" Sirius hissed.

"It's not my fault!" Jennifer protested. "The Ministry never showed up."

"The Ministry is busy trying to make the Lost Tower of London lost again," Sirius explained. "Wait until Arthur finds out. He had to take care of something in Hogsmeade."

"Hullo! Anyone home?" Harry's voice said from above. Carol soon brought he and Ginny down, and although surprised, Harry greeted them warmly as they introduced themselves, and even more pleasantly asked him who he was. As much as Harry loved his wizard neighborhood near the Burrow, Harry immediately decided if he had to live in a Muggle neighborhood, this would definitely be it. But Sirius' nervousness and constantly looking at the clock must have tipped Pachem off, for the pastor stood and said something about other commitments, and reluctantly the others did as well, each one professing a desire to call again and rattling off addresses and direction on how to call on them so fast Jennifer's head was spinning. Sirius quickly got to work and Harry helped Carol show the people out while Ginny insisted Jennifer sit down so she could have a look at her.

"I feel fine," Jennifer protested as Ginny took her pulse.

"Well, you look pale and exhausted. Besides, we need to get you back before Severus and Sagittari realize you're not in the school," Ginny insisted.

"I second that," Sirius said, pulling back the curtain to the balcony, frowning down into the water. "Well, that's fixed. Guess I'd better do something about those fishing boats down there, shouldn't I?" Sirius said. "See you back at the school," he added, Disapparating. Jennifer picked up Alex, who had finally fallen asleep on a chair and put her down by her brothers, gazing at them.

"I don't care what Sagittari says. I am coming back to see you next weekend," Jennifer promised herself, gently brushing back the hair on Aurelius' forehead and kissing Andrew.

"Come on, Jennifer, let's get back," Ginny nudged her as Harry came down the stairs, watching them.

"But will they be safe here, now?" Jennifer said, her worry finally showed on her face. "So many know we're here…" she said, gazing around the room. Were they going to have to move?

"No one is going to get that close, Jennifer, trust me," Harry said with a slight smile from where he stood on the stairs. "Secret or no secret, they have a lot of people looking out for them, Carol, Remus, Dumbledore, and Ginny and me. Besides, anyone would be a fool to do anything to tick off either you or Severus," he pointed out with a grin. "Speaking of which, let's get you back."

"They're all on their way, Mrs. Snape," Carol said, coming down the stairs and smiling at the three sleeping babes, taking the opportunity to sit down for a few minutes.

"What would I do without you, Carol?" Jennifer said. "Just knowing you're here makes me feel better," she added.

"I do my best," Carol smiled, waving to them as the three headed up the stairs. But the smile faded when they disappeared from view and she sighed softly, shaking her head as she turned her attention to her three small charges.

* * *

It was not long after Harry and Ginny had left and Jennifer had gotten herself settled on her couch working on her midterms again that Severus came in, unusually somber as he took off his cloak and tossed it to the side, bringing his Pensieve out of the cabinet.

"So, you destroyed it, then?" Jennifer asked.

"With a crowd of witnesses, including Lucius Malfoy," Severus said expressionlessly, taking out a long strand from the Pensieve, which suddenly shot at his head dissipating into a soft glow that slowly faded.

"I would have loved to have seen the expression on his face," Jennifer grinned.

"You probably would have found the expression on Balmweed's face entertaining as well," Severus said, putting the Pensieve back and looking at her thoughtfully. "So what have you been up to today?"

"Preparing to get back to work," Jennifer said quickly, showing her paperwork.

"Is that all?" Severus asked. Even if Jennifer hadn't looked up she wouldn't have mistaken the warning tone in his voice, and it had quickly occurred to her that he probably glanced at the watch once or twice. Jennifer looked up at his searching gaze and sighed.

"All right, I admit I might have decided to go home for a few hours, but I needed to check on the children," Jennifer admitted. "Surely you can't blame me for that."

"I could have sworn I heard Sagittari say you were not to leave the castle at all," Severus scowled. But Jennifer could immediately tell he wasn't as bothered about it as he seemed. In fact, he almost seemed glad that she wasn't by herself the entire time. He would be more worried if he knew what had happened, Jennifer mused, but decided he really didn't need to know that part quite yet.

"They're getting so big now," Jennifer said, ignoring his exasperated sigh. "Aurelius still seems to have no inclination to talk, though. Carol thinks it's more because he doesn't want to rather than he can't. And Andrew is scooting around trying to get at everything, he's so curious about anything that moves."

"Oh very well, I'll let it go this time, but I don't want you making yourself sick again popping all over the place. You heard what Sagittari said about getting your strength back up," Severus said, "It's more than just about you, you know, it's about Anna and her twins and our child."

"Daughter," Jennifer said wistfully, "Sagittari said she was a girl. I feel so empty…like I've been… robbed." Severus was looking at her, trying to figure out how to answer that, when there was a knock at the door. Severus opened it to see McGonagall standing there.

"Oh, good, you're here," she said, nodding over to Jennifer as well. "Dumbledore would like you both to come up to his office if you can, there's been some widespread trouble with spells this afternoon, and Ederick is here and needs to speak with you, Jennifer."

"Of course," Jennifer said, getting up, Severus taking extra pains to secure their room before leaving. Jennifer looked at him curiously, but Severus didn't look at her as they headed up the stairs, crossing the corridor and up the winding stair into the study. As they walked in, Jennifer noticed a very tired looking Arnie Peasegood, sprawled out in the chair as if he hadn't slept for days. He stood though when Jennifer came in, obviously pleased to see her, shaking her hand.

"I am so sorry we never managed to get out to your house today," Arnie said apologetically. "But I understand from Sirius that everything was taken care of?" Jennifer was quite aware of Severus' eyes on her back.

"Yes, sir, it all worked out," Jennifer said carefully. "Is everything all right in town? He said something about the Tower appearing."

"Yes, and in the middle of lunch hour," Arnie said as she sat. "It's a wonder that nobody got killed. Several automobiles were smashed when the building appeared in the middle of the street, and people on the street found themselves inside the jailhouse and courtyard. Two unfortunate Muggles found themselves behind cages in the Menagerie," he added, as Jennifer cringed. Severus was still glaring at her, too busy trying to figure out what had happened to react. "I don't know who was more unhappy, the Muggles or our Cats'o'nine-tails," he said, rubbing his head. "I did everything I could until Arthur relieved me half an hour ago, but I don't see how we could possibly manage to completely to contain this. Hundreds of people saw it. We have them convinced it was some sort of government experiment, but the truth is if anything like this happens again, we're done. They will know we're here, and we won't be able to cover it up much longer," Arnie said. "Professor, I know how you feel about this, but even you have to admit neither one of our societies are ready for something like this right now. Magicless or not, they outnumber our kind hundreds to one. We would lose everything. Something must be done to stabilize what's happening quickly or it'll be the witch hunts all over again."

"Calm down, Arnie, there's no need to panic just yet," Dumbledore said. "Has a Council meeting been called yet?"

"I believe Arthur is setting that up now, Professor," Arnie said, nodding numbly. "I really ought to tell you also that the Creatures department is also getting more reports of fae creatures causing trouble, especially in the farmlands down south…some creatures we haven't seen in centuries are popping up out of no where… Changelings and other unseelie creatures…Riverhags and Knucklelaives and the like. The locals are keeping one step ahead of them for the moment, but they are also demanding the Ministry do something about it."

"Some also wonder if it didn't have to do with the gate nearly reopening a few years ago," Thurspire put in. "Although, I seem to recall that the wraiths and banshee incidents happened before that…not long after Anna got here actually." Severus and Jennifer turned their eyes on him with open dislike.

"You will also recall that Voldemort was calling out every creature he could find that he thought he could control, and a lot of the creatures that appeared at that time was his doing," Severus said icily.

"The banshee had been there a long time, Thurspire, as anyone in Hogsmeade will attest to. You can't really believe Anna is behind this. I thought you were friends," Jennifer said.

"Well, I know that the wraiths weren't controlled by anyone, and something must have attracted them here, and I think it's been well established now they were attracted to Anna. Who's to say the others aren't? She's supposed to have all sorts of faerie like abilities."

"So does Sagittari and several others I could name, Ederick," Dumbledore said gently.

"Well, of course Sagittari does, being a magical creature himself. But many are worried about a witch who has them; especially one everyone knows now is capable of opening that gate. And before you start in again, I am only worried about her safety," Thurspire said defensively. "There is a growing fear and restlessness in our society, and I'm afraid of what's going to happen when they begin to get frightened enough to point fingers."

"Yes, you are right about that," Dumbledore said quietly, folding his hands together and putting them to his lips in thought. "The first priority must be to maintain calm. Minerva, could you send an owl to Ron Weasley and ask him if he could see me when he has the time? Oh, and send for Harry as well. For the next priority is seeing what we can do to find the cause of the problem. The fae, at least, I have some inclination to what the cause is, for the worst of this began after Lorcan attempted to open the gate. The seal holding it must have been damaged, and although I do not believe I can completely repair it, with a bit of help, I may be able to strengthen it some until we can," Dumbledore said, glancing over at Severus. "Let's head back down to Salisbury this evening, Severus, I'm sure between us and Harry we can get it temporarily stable. And then," Dumbledore said with a sigh, "I suppose I should go see Viviane about that Stone. We've had no luck in finding it, and if she knows where it is I dare say we won't find it without her help, like it or not."

"Sir, I'd rather not leave Jennifer here by herself," Severus said. Jennifer looked at him with surprise.

"I'm not a complete invalid, you know," she said hotly.

"Harry expressed concern that the Ladle incident was an inside job, and frankly I'm not entirely sure whom we can trust anymore," Severus continued, ignoring her protest. Dumbledore looked at him steadily, as one who had contemplated that possibility himself. He looked down for a moment, then over at Jennifer.

"Fine, I'm warned, but I'll be damned if you assign me a babysitter," Jennifer said stubbornly.

"Professor Craw is right, she can take care of herself," Dumbledore said calmly. "Besides, you have the ring and watch with you and I'll be there if we need to get back in a hurry. I can't do this without you Severus," he added. It was quite an admission, Jennifer realized, wondering exactly what Dumbledore could possibly think Severus could do that he can't. But whatever the reason, his expression was enough to convince everyone how serious he was, and Severus reluctantly nodded. "In the meantime, Professor Craw, I'd appreciate it if you would go find out what Caprica's been up to. I'm sure all of the recent events have her stirred up again and I'm sure she'll be trying to cause trouble if we don't keep an eye her and her friends."

"Certainly, Professor Dumbledore," Jennifer said, resigning herself to a rather annoying evening as they all began to get up, and suspecting the real reason behind it was just to keep her busy.

"And when I get back, you and I are going to have a long talk about _exactly_ what happened while you were at home," Severus told Jennifer, who smiled wanly at him in return.

"Just had tea with the neighbors," Jennifer shrugged, and Dumbledore suddenly turned and smiled at her in a way that told her that he knew more about that than he had said.


	19. The Grudge Match

Chapter Nineteen

The Grudge Match

Like many Mondays after a very eventful weekend, (which, at Hogwarts, seemed to happen more weekends than not,) the Gryffindor table found itself crowded with several other house students attempting to get as close as possible to Corey Willowby, waiting to hear the latest tidbits. Even Doug, with his mouse Whiskers perched on his shoulder looking as if it were listening, sat between Katie and Gail in easy hearing range.

"Of course I knew what he was planning, that's why I was watching for him to throw it," Corey said. "He'd been talking about it for awhile, especially after someone went and tried to kill Rasputin, but I think that Imp was the last straw. He and Dumbledore told 'em all they'd rather see it destroyed than be in the wrong hands."

"But all us students around, someone might have gotten hurt! I heard normally they destroy artifacts in a controlled room in case it blows up or something," Aelfred said.

"It wasn't cursed or anything, it was just a spellbook," Corey said impatiently. "Written by Merlin himself as it was. Besides, Dumbledore and Minister Weasley were there making sure nothing went wrong. They did it there so that everybody could see it was gone and they'd stop bugging the school trying to find it. I wouldn't be surprised if there's even an article about it in the paper today."

"But all those ancient spells, gone just like that, what if there was something in there that could have stopped the magic from dying?" Taylor said, disturbed that anyone would consider destroying such an important piece of knowledge.

"What exactly is going on here?"

Students began to scatter as Snape came up behind Corey, quickly heading to their own tables at the sight of his flashing eyes. Even Doug's mouse decided to jump off and get out of the way as quickly as possible, perhaps to avoid becoming Rasputin's next lunch.

"Nothing, Professor Snape. Just chatting about the Hogsmeade trip," Corey said, suddenly interested in his breakfast.

"Twenty points off Gryffindor for gossiping."

"Twenty points! There's no rule against…"

"I very _distinctly_ remember Professor McGonagall asking you more than once to curb that habit of yours and I have every intention of informing her of your actions, and if I have anything to say about it, I am going to see about making it so that no one is allowed to jump tables to encourage it as well," he snapped. "See you in class," he added before walking to the back.

"Looks like even Snape's sick of you being the center of attention," Doug said.

"Oh, shut up Doug," Corey said, putting his head in his hand.

* * *

Essie and Angela dashed up the tower stairs and into there seats, trying to recover their breaths as many of the other students were that were there so far.

"Made it in record time!" Angela said. "Aelfred! How in the world do you always get here so fast?"

"I take my broom out and fly up, of course. That false door that leads straight off the tower is never locked so the spirits can get in, supposedly," he grinned. "So I borrow it. I'm sure they don't mind."

"Well I'm quite certain I don't," said a sullen voice and the classmates cheerfully welcomed Icarus. Icarus had made quite a habit of haunting their class…it was Professor Craw's conference time, he had explained, and rather than put up with her chasing him out of the office, he decided to find somewhere friendlier to go. Although how he could think the class was friendlier, Essie wasn't quite sure. As much as the students loved his jokes and comments and even occasional help hints on their homework when he noticed someone doing something wrong, it was very obvious that Madame Trelawney didn't care for him at all. But the cold reception didn't seem to bother Icarus one bit. In fact, it seemed that the more she tried to get rid of him, the more he seemed to stay around.

"Did everyone get their numerology projects done?" he asked, peering over Essie's paper.

"We had to do first and last names of people in our family. I did the Snapes too," Essie told him.

"Ah yes, I see Snape has a type one personality," Icarus said finding that very amusing.

"Ambitious independent and self-sufficient," Angela read from the chart.

"Corey and I are both 3's and 4's, that's make us enthusiastic and fun-loving with a serious side."

"Yes, I do think that works out well, and Jennifer is multi-talented and compassionate," Icarus said, "Well, accept to ghosts, of course."

"But these are all so general! Surely this number thing isn't for real?" Crystal asked. She had learned early on that if Icarus thought it was humbug he had no trouble telling them or their teacher so.

"I do believe in the power of numbers, quite definitely," Icarus said with a gentle smile. "In fact, if any of you go on to take Symbology or Arithmantics, I really think you'll appreciate them even more. Not that I recommend any of you going to the trouble of naming your children based on the outcome of their names," he added. "No, no, environment and experience and heritage affect personality more than anything."

"And just who is teaching this class?" Madame Trelawney had slipped in from behind a curtain, her long thin arms on her hips in obvious irritation.

"Apparently no one at the moment. You're late again," Icarus commented, hovering to the back of the class.

"Of course I am, I foresaw I would be," Trelawney said, opening a tiny box while Icarus gazed at her dubiously. But Trelawney, for a change, did not seem in the mood to explain herself. "Did everyone remember to bring three coins today? We shall be exploring I Ching hexagrams."

"No yarrow to toss?" Icarus asked.

"Will you please stay out of this?" Trelawney snapped. Essie blinked. Something must have been bothering her for her to act like this. Looking completely surprised, Icarus decided to fade away, watching from a distance. Even when reading death sentences she normally seemed quite happy to do it, but at that moment she seemed hardly in the mood to foretell anyone's future at all. "You shall conduct it according to modern methods, tossing three coins, yin being heads of course, and then making your lines accordingly. Please pick a basic question and put it at the top of your paper, meditate on it, and then make your marks. When you're done, please turn to the chart in the fifth chapter and outline the important parts of the reading on the paper you made your marks on."

Making the hexagrams themselves were easy, but the interpreting them was a whole different matter, and Essie soon wished they could get back to numbers and tarot cards. Trelawney looked over their shoulders as they worked, glancing at each one as if expecting to see something specific, her face dark. After she passed by Essie, Essie looked over to Angela, cross-referencing her charts with total bewilderment on her face.

"If we have this thing on our midterms, I'm sunk," Angela whispered. "It reminds me of Arithmantics."

"What do you suppose is wrong with Madame Trelawney? Do you think she saw something terrible that's going to happen?" Essie said.

"If she did, she'd be the first to tell everybody," Angela pointed out. But Essie wasn't so sure.

"I foresee Hufflepuff losing points in the very near future," Madame Trelawney warned. The two girls quieted down and got back to their papers, hoping rather fruitlessly that they'd be able to finish it and turn it in before the end of class. But before they knew it time was up and they were on their way down to dinner.

"Well, at least I got most of it done," Essie sighed, "but I haven't made even a dent in our Defense assignment."

"Tell me about it," Angela said, flipping through the other book. "What's the sudden push for us to learn all known dark fae races? Even the extinct ones? I think your uncle is definitely flipping out this time."

"You need to read the paper more," Essie chided her. "Didn't you see the article on the resurgence of Otherworld creatures?"

"Just what we need when magic is going out, an invasion from beyond," Angela said in exasperation.

"I don't know, I think it's rather reassuring," Essie said, "I mean, if magic really was disappearing, magic races would be fading more now than ever, not becoming more prominent," Essie said.

"All right then, since you're the expert, what's making the spells fail then?" Angela challenged.

"I'm not quite sure yet," Essie said, "But I'm working on it."

"You know Essie, you just haven't been the same girl since you developed that cheese eating habit of yours," Angela chuckled at her. "You're nowhere near as shy as you used to be, or as nervous. Please just don't go so far that you start losing points left and right like your brother does to Gryffindor."

"Oh no, I don't have the talent for trouble he does," Essie smiled. "Don't worry, Angela. I don't have any intention of breaking any rules. Well, aside for sometimes being out after hours now and again," she had to add before they entered the Great Hall for dinner.

It was sparring night so Essie ate lightly, not wanting to get ill before her match, as she had done once before. Then Essie and Angela went up to the sparring gym and walked over to where Corey and Danny were standing. It was the last club meeting before the holidays, and the last night they'd be learning any new techniques before the tournament started when they got back. The sparring club had grown in the last few weeks as well; after Corey joined, many of the Slytherin who hadn't been interested at the first of the season suddenly became interested, and their overwhelming numbers had caused other houses, especially Gryffindors, to do some more recruiting of their own. Nearly every hand on the wand rack was in use, and Jennifer, whom had just come back to the club first time since October looked at the upsurge in interest with definite surprise.

"Looks like you've definitely had your hands full," Jennifer commented as they waited for the rest to arrive. "We're going to need to recruit more staff help during those first few rounds of the tournament or we're going to be at it all night."

"I suspect I can get Alvin to help, since Rolanda will be here," Severus said as Jennifer looked over the lineup. Suddenly she frowned at one of the entries, glancing over at Severus who returned the gaze.

"Are you sure that's wise?" she asked, tapping the page.

"I have a feeling we're going to find out," Severus said. "Perhaps they can get this out of their system. Neither one of their marks have been the same since the Quidditch incident," he added, as if to explain his reason for even bothering. "And I'll judge that one, if you don't mind."

"All right, but don't blame me if it backfires," Jennifer said, taking her place near the back. Severus was quite unconcerned, heading over to lead the students in their block and attack routines.

Severus also had no objections to the Slytherins wearing sparring gloves, who tightened them almost challengingly and grinning towards the other students as they waited for the board to go up. Casper and Danny were both instantly disappointed when the matches were posted.

"D. Brim and C. Willowby? What sort of match is that?" Casper protested.

"Yes! I get to take on the big mouth Ames," Greisley grinned.

"Looks like I get to test my new gloves out on the other Brim," Amadeus looked pleased. Danny, however, wasn't too thrilled when she found out she was opposing Taylor. Amadeus nudged her. "You should be able to walk all over that boyfriend of yours. Talk about the mismatch of the century."

Essie stepped up, nodding to herself thoughtfully at being matched up with Stevens from Ravenclaw. She hadn't seen him duel, but from what she had heard he wasn't much better at it than she was. But she did have one of the last matches of the night, and that meant a long wait. Still, it gave her an excuse to be here during Corey and Doug's match, and she wasn't about to miss that, and Angela seemed to be unusually pleased to have to fight Victor Greisley.

"Here's our chance to get even for all the pranks he's pulled on us in the last two and a half years. I'm going to teach him some manners," Angela said.

"Just be careful, Angie, don't let your guard down on him," Essie said as her best friend stepped in the ring. Angie had always been good at this sort of spell; perhaps that's why Defense came so easier to her, Essie thought. But they also matched each other in size, both tall and slightly stout, and neither one of them really built for speed. Greisley wasted no time in throwing the Bonetangle spell, which Angela only succeeded to partially block, feeling her arm twist painfully as it attempted to tie itself in a knot. Greisley waited defensively as she took a moment to negate it, while Amadeus shouting behind him to go ahead and throw something else at her. But the hesitation was enough, and Angela smacked him with the Toddler's Curse, and Victor suddenly lost complete control of his hand as his wand arm came up and he proceeded to suck his thumb, his wand helplessly pointed upwards. Furious at the chuckle coming from students around them, Victor hit Angela with Titillando. But Angela wasn't particularly ticklish, and after a few squirmy movements came back with Immobulus. Blocking it easy, Victor quickly got off a strange spell that Angela had never heard before, aimed at her legs. A creeping pressure went up her legs like small boa constrictors wrapping around them and she fell to the floor, out of breath. A flash of light hit around her from behind and the pressure released as she heard the word, "Bench!" clearly called out from Craw.

"Victor, where did you learn that spell?" Craw asked as she helped Angela stand.

"I don't know, I picked it up somewhere," Victor stammered, realizing his answer would do him no good as Jennifer's eyes went straight to Amadeus, squinting. But Amadeus was pretending to watch the other match.

"I suggest from now on you stick to spells you learn in school, Mr. Greisley, or you'll well find yourself out of the club," Jennifer warned sternly. "Next match please."

"I hate winning on a technicality," Angela sighed as she stepped over by Essie. Essie had her eyes over towards the other ring where Danny had just flipped Taylor onto his back for the second time in a row. "Doug and Corey's match is next in the other ring isn't it?" she asked Essie. Essie nodded, feeling quite unsure about the match ahead, hoping that neither of them got hurt. "Good, I hope they zap each other silly," Angela said, Essie staring over at her serious face. "It's for their own good, you know." But Essie saw she wasn't the only one who was worried. Coming out of the ring, Danny and Taylor didn't look too happy either.

Corey grabbed his toad wart wand out of the rack, nodding to Doug as he went to get his.

"Good luck, Doug," Corey said softly. Doug shot him a dirty look.

"You can keep your luck. I plan to beat you with pure skill," Doug said, heading over to the ring without another word.

Corey then stepped in behind him, glancing briefly at Snape on the way in. Something about the way he stood and averted the gaze told Corey that this was going to be a rough match. There wasn't going to be any benching this time. Corey sighed, not having all that much inclination to fight this match, but knew if he pulled it things would be worse than ever. All he could do is prolong it as much as possible, hoping it'd give Doug a chance to burn off all that steam.

It wasn't long into the match after Corey's third neat block that Doug figured out he was stalling, the spells Corey were casting in return were too easy to counter for them not to be. Growling angrily at the realization, Doug's spells became more malevolent, blasting Corey backwards and nearly knocking him out of the ring, making Corey take a more aggressive approach, hitting his feet with a slippery spell. But Doug was able to not only block but cast a backfire spell in return, causing the slippery spell to hit Corey instead. Taken by surprise, Corey found himself slipping around as if walking on ice, having a hard time keeping his footing. Taking advantage of Corey's situation, Doug shouted "_Expelliarmus_!" Trying to block it, Corey found himself propelled forward by his own movement and the spell hit him straight on, leaving him sprawling on the floor and spinning in a circle, his wand well out of range.

Corey pushed himself up, curbing the urge to flatten him with a wave of his hand, wondering why he hadn't heard Snape call the match yet. But Doug had caught the movement, clutching his wand.

"Well go on, you know you want to do it. Go ahead and try to attack me without your wand and see what it gets you," Doug challenged him.

"No, it's over, rules are rules," Corey said calmly, getting up.

"Rules?" Doug said angrily. "Since when does Corey Willowby ever follow the rules? You break every rule in the book and instead of getting in trouble you get a pat on the back, you make great marks without needing to open a book twice, and the entire school, even those who hate you hang on every word you say. I'm sick of hearing about you and your perfect life and how much better you are than everyone else! I know that you're going to do what you want no matter what anyone else wants or no matter how it's going to hurt your housemates or anyone else so go ahead and finish it!"

"Is that what you think?" Corey said, staring at him in disbelief. "Well, that proves just how little you know about me, Brim," Corey said, trying to keep his voice from shaking. "If my life is so perfect, than how come I would give up everything I have…_everything_, if it meant I could see my mum and father and brother again? Magic doesn't mean a thing if it can't be used to stop things like that from happening. So you can have the talent and the popularity and whatever else it is you think I have that you want, Doug. I just hope you don't have to pay the price I had to for it," Corey said, hopping out of the ring and out the door as students moved silently out of the way. Only a soft sobbing could be heard. Jennifer, who had benched her match early and stopped to watch, looked over where Angela stood comforting Essie as she walked over to Severus, speaking to him briefly before heading out of the room.

Briskly Severus took up the list and called the next match, and Doug slowly left the ring as the next two came up, the room quickly brought back to order. But nobody in the club really felt like continuing, and no one complained when Snape called it a night only a couple of matches later.

* * *

It was a frightfully cold, clear night, and the occasional breeze was biting as Corey looked off into the distance. It hadn't taken Jennifer very long to figure out where he had gone…the Astrology Tower was the highest point in the castle, and probably as far from the Gryffindor rooms as walking down to the lake without having to break the standard rule of leaving the castle after dark, even if he had had to use a spell to unlock the door.

"Nice view tonight," Jennifer said from the top of the ladder, climbing out onto the roof where Corey stood. "Much higher than the Perch, too, although I wouldn't want to have Sinistra chasing me off every night I felt like stargazing because she has a midnight class or something," she chuckled softly, coming to stand by Corey and not saying another word. Tears were running down his cheeks but she pretended not to notice; instead she looked down upon the lights of the castle and the darkened pitch just beyond. It was a long time before anyone spoke.

"I hope…I hope I didn't sound ungrateful, I mean, saying what I said," Corey said at last, brushing his face almost nonchalantly with his shoulder.

"Of course you didn't," Jennifer assured him gently, gazing at him. "Corey, we know we can't ever take the place of Charles, Charlie and Freda, and we don't really want to, or even expect to. But I hope you aren't terribly offended if I say I truly feel like you're my own son, just as much as the ones I gave birth to." Corey turned and gave her a hug, which Jennifer gratefully accepted. "Gah, you're getting so big, you're taller than me now," she said, realizing it for the first time.

"I guess I'm too big for running off to towers and crying over things I can't change," Corey said, feeling rather embarrassed.

"Nonsense, I do it myself from time to time," Jennifer admitted, looking over the edge. "My mother meant everything in the world to me. The odd thing is, if she hadn't died, I'd probably have stayed at Beauxbatons. I'd do nearly anything to have her back and yet…I wouldn't give up Severus for anything…I suppose that sounds rather contradictory doesn't it?"

"Yes, but I understand exactly what you mean, I feel that way myself," Corey said. "And I'm quite sure we've had this talk before."

"True, but you're older now," Jennifer said, smiling softly at him. "In two more years you'll be out ready to face the world on your own, and with that comes a different perspective. But don't think for a minute that we won't always be here for you. We do love you Corey. Well, your Dad may not say it, but I dare think actions speak louder than words."

"I know," Corey said with a smile. "Maybe Doug is right though, maybe I do sometimes take things a bit for granted."

"And maybe Doug is a little bit wrong too," Jennifer said sternly, "and maybe he takes even more for granted than you do."

"Yes, but he is my friend, and I miss having him around," Corey sighed. "And I miss the Four Musketeers."

"Me too," Jennifer agreed. "But even if he does keep up this silly stubborn streak he's on, it doesn't mean you have to act the same way. You can be a good friend to someone even if it's not reciprocated."

"You're right, Mom. But I'm not going to apologize for what I said."

"I should think not," Jennifer agreed. "Come on, we should really get out of the cold. I dare say Sagittari would have something to say about seeing me out here," she said, putting an arm around him as they turned towards the ladder. "And I think someone should talk to Essie, she seemed rather upset when you left."

"I hope she's all right," Corey said worriedly. But as they made their way to the gym they had found that only Essie and Severus were still there, using their wands to put everything back in order again.

"Corey, would you walk Essie back to her rooms? It's getting a bit late for either of you to be out," Severus said.

"Yes, sir," Corey agreed quickly. Essie waved at Severus before following him out. Jennifer looked at Severus with a curious smile.

"Since when did Essie start going to you for advice?" Jennifer wanted to know.

"Long story. Happened while you were out," Severus explained, getting his cloak. "I assume everything went well on your end?"

"I think he's alright," Jennifer said, matching his stride as they stepped into the hall, heading towards their rooms. "So did the match go as you expected?" she added, a hint of 'I told you so' lingering in the tone of her voice.

"It was a start," Severus said, slightly annoyed at her lilt. "Even you have to admit that constant bickering the two of them were doing was getting a bit old."

"Oh, you mean like the kind you and Sirius do?" Jennifer inquired challengingly. Severus decided to completely ignore her until they got back to the room.


	20. Leanan

Chapter Twenty

Leanan

Jennifer had marked all the Items projects a week early, hinting only that they would have a special guest speaker that next week, smiling mysteriously and not giving them any hints on who it was. Even during Dabbler's that morning Corey had not succeeded in getting one hint, not even to why they were meeting in the Potion's Lab. So he was as pleasantly surprised as the rest of the class to step into the lab where a huge, bubbling cauldron of a clear, sweet, syrupy liquid popped gigantic, elastic bubbles and a plump, rosy faced, cheerful looking man stood beside Jennifer, greeting them warmly as they came in.

"I thought it'd be nice to start your season off with a bit of a pre-holiday treat," Jennifer said, eyes twinkling a bit. "Class, I'd like to introduce you to Mr. Bertie Botts Jr. He's going to give us some insight to magic candy making." An excited chatter developed in the class and Jennifer let it go a moment to Bertie's protests and thank-yous for the warm reception, finally quieting the class a moment later.

"It was quite kind of Professor Dumbledore to ask, and it is an honor to address such a talented bunch of Physical Arts students," he said, bowing slightly with a smile. "Today, I am going to show you something very seldom seen by the outside world…how we extract the flavors for our beans, and at the same time, introduce you to three of the new flavors coming out next year," he said, getting another round of appreciation from the students. He tapped the bubbling cauldron in front of them.

"Now this mixture you see in front of you is the base we use for every single bean. The exact formula of it is a family secret, but I assure you it's mainly sugar and corn syrup and nothing unwholesome despite the flavors that are mixed with it. Of course, in the factory we'd be using a cauldron a hundred times this size, but for purposes of this demonstration, this will be more than enough," he said as Jennifer helped him scoop out the thick, hot mixture into three even smaller cauldrons.

"For the first flavor, I need a volunteer familiar. Might anyone here have a toad?" he asked hopefully. Ian Young from Ravenclaw sheepishly brought out his toad Boris, who looked completely disinterested at being volunteered for anything. "Ah, well done! Congratulations, you have just ascended to the honor of being used for a Bertie Botts bean flavor! Now, now, don't panic young man, your familiar will not be hurt in the slightest," he assured Ian, putting the frog on the table and taking out a long thin vial with a strangely spiraled top. "Now, all I need to do is use a spell to harvest the essence of flavor and put it in the phial like so…" he demonstrated twirling his wand in circles above the frog. "_Deguno Eximo!_" As he twisted his wand a pale white vapor appeared to be following it, following its lead like a string of airy cotton candy until he twisted it up like spaghetti and popped it into the phial. "The phial is designed to keep the essence within it as long as it's upright," he said, steadily carrying it over to the first cauldron. "And of course, it's a fairly simple spell, but unless you have the proper ingredients in, it won't do you any good to try it," he said, as if slightly worried that someone would try.

"Now, all I need to do then is to make a hole in the mixture then fold it lightly in," he explained, carefully letting the wisp drain out and quickly covering it with the sticky liquid with a long spoon. "And then just a couple more turns, and a little color," he said, tapping the cauldron with his wand, causing the substance to turn a dark, earthy green, "and there you are, the first of my new additions, Live Toad flavor!" Jennifer clapped heartily for him and the students more reluctantly followed, and Corey wondered if he'd ever be brave enough to eat the green ones ever again. Bertie picked up a spoonful of it, offering it first to Jennifer.

"Ah, no thanks, perhaps I'll wait for the next one," she said with an apologetic smile.

"Quite alright, I'll test it," Bertie said, and happily did so, obviously enjoying himself as he took a taste of the mixture, beaming. "Absolutely perfect!" he said cheerfully, smacking his lips while the class stared at him. "My father always says that every taste in the world was a taste of life, and I've never experienced a taste I didn't like," he smiled at them. "But perhaps something everyone can enjoy this time?"

Jennifer grinned at him then took from a tray none of the students had noticed before a tall butterbeer topped with banana ice cream.

"One Snitch in the Mud, coming right up," Jennifer said. "Rosmerta will be thrilled," she added. Just like before, he put the drink on the table and cast the same spell with a clean phial, using the second cauldron to draw up the mixture, which turned to a golden brown. As Jennifer took a taste the rest of the class looked eager to test it as well, so much that she chuckled. "You'll have a chance later, I promise," she said.

"We have one more flavor to prepare," Bertie smiled, "and then you will all have your chance at a small bit of the secret formula and adding your own flavors to it, and then I'll show you how to form them into beans," he said. The third flavor turned out to be icicle, which tasted to Jennifer like light mineral water, but she was sure it probably tasted better at room temperature than warm.

It was then time to let the class loose, and Jennifer couldn't help but make one up of her own as they scattered about looking for things to turn into flavors. Danny still had some liquorice in her pocket and used that as the safest bet, while most of the class looked through the ingredients on the shelves having some idea of which ones were palatable. Mr. Botts was very happy to test every one, recognizing quite a number of them immediately; from catmint to saffron, and even the more exotic choices of hemlock and foxglove (Jennifer gave Amadeus and Roger dirty looks but didn't say anything) were quickly identified by the cheerful candy maker. He beamed when he tried Corey's rusty door hinge, deciding to put that on his list of possible flavors for the next year's choices, but he was completely enthralled by Jennifer's, looking curiously at the pink substance.

"What a sweet and yet hearty flavor! Why I've never tasted anything quite like it, what is it?" he asked.

"The flavor of porridge from Dagda's Cauldron," Jennifer grinned.

"Really? It's really unique," Bertie said, quite impressed. "Might I use this?"

"Be my guest," Jennifer chuckled, as Bertie took another spoonful.

"I shall definitely have to take a phial of this with me," he said, thanking her. At last large cloth tubes were brought out and they were allowed to turn off the liquids, hurriedly pouring the contents of their cauldrons in it and dabbing bits of it on wax paper. By the time they were done they had enough to give each classmate a couple of beans of their flavors and still have a separate bag filled with the flavor they had made, cheerfully heading out of the rooms and conspiring as to who to talk into trying the live frog beans.

After the two of them cleaned up the cauldrons, Dumbledore came down to see him, and Jennifer cheerfully thanked them and went to the staff room to wait for Severus' class to get out before dinner. Anna was sitting at the end of the table, buried in paperwork.

"Want some freshly made Bertie Botts beans? I even got one or two that actually turned out pretty decent," Jennifer offered, putting the two bags on the table and eating one out of her porridge batch.

"No, my luck I'll get the wrong one and I'll get nauseous again," Anna said tiredly.

"Anything I can help you with?" Jennifer asked her.

"I really doubt it. I know Muggle Studies is hardly your area," she sighed. "Between Sirius being called away all the time, and the Ministry having me run around all the time. I haven't had much time to get caught up on schoolwork. So, I'm going to stay the night tonight so I can get the last of these tests written up and essays graded."

"I hate watching you push yourself so hard," Jennifer said in concern wishing there were something she could do. Anna smirked at her slightly.

"I've been watching you push yourself 'too hard' for the last three years, and I'm sure you'll be doing it again before this is done. No offense and I was quite glad to help, but I will be relieved when you have your own baby back again. Sagittari thinks she more than any reason is why my nausea hasn't let up yet."

"Four more days, and she'll be back," Jennifer said with a wistful sigh. "I didn't even know she was there when I was poisoned and yet I miss her all the same."

"And then we can both drive our husbands completely crazy worrying about us," Anna said, and Jennifer chuckled lightly.

"Too late I think. I swear the way Severus has been behaving lately he's quite sure that the entire world is after me."

"Well, they still have no suspects, so you can't really blame him, can you?" Anna asked. "At least there haven't been any more Imp invasions lately."

"I almost wish there was one," Jennifer said, getting a surprised look from Anna. "Well, we haven't gotten much clue to who specifically it is so far, maybe one of them will trip up. After all, any of us are more than a match for an Imp."

"Yes, as long as there aren't any lakes around," said a curt voice behind them and Jennifer winced slightly. Severus wasn't about to let her down on 'forgetting' to tell him about that one anytime soon. "The two of you have enough to worry about without any plotting. I suggest you leave that to me," Severus said, sitting down beside Jennifer. Anna gave him a dirty look.

"Well that makes me feel reassured," Anna said sarcastically. "At least I know right now Sirius doesn't have the time to help you with whatever scheme you're thinking up at the moment."

"If it's all right with everyone, I really just want a nice quiet holiday," Jennifer protested, instantly silencing whatever it was that Severus was about to say.

"Well, I'm not going anywhere until I get these papers in order," Anna swore to herself, bending back over her papers.

"You're only lucky I can't slip you a Subtle Slumber right now," Severus told her, glancing at his watch and standing back up "Are we going to dinner, or not?"

"You go on, I really have too much to do," Anna sighed, gathering up her papers. "I think I'll eat in my office."

"You want me to get you some porridge?" Jennifer inquired with concern.

"Thanks, but no thanks," Anna chuckled. "I try to stay away from anything that looks like pink oatmeal. I'll just send Sirius out for burgers and chips when he comes to check up on me." Jennifer took out a small phial, putting it on the table in front of her.

"Take that beforehand, it's safe, and it'll prevent you from getting a devil of a heartburn afterwards," Jennifer recommended. Anna couldn't help but think that calcium tablets would be better for the babies than whatever it was that was in that concoction, but she took it, thanking them as they headed toward the hall. Picking up the last of her things, Anna headed out towards the back stair and up towards her office, contemplating breaking her own rule laying off the caffeine by laying into the coffee. She had a feeling it was going to be a long night.

Sirius didn't stay very long when he did show, stopping only to share a quick meal with her and bring her up to date. Harry, it seemed, was getting ready to go on a trip somewhere with Ron over the holidays, apparently along with Aunt Viviane, although Harry hadn't had time to tell him about it in any detail. They had been too busy attempting to secure the council chambers, to make sure that it wouldn't suddenly appear when they held assembly next month, although Sirius couldn't help but admit that would surely drive the severity of the problems at large home to those inside. Anna doubted seriously that any of them didn't know that already, but she had long accepted the fact that Sirius had very little trust in any part of the government, at least any that didn't involve her or Harry directly. Soon Sirius had kissed goodnight, grabbed his jacket and headed back out, and Anna was left to contemplate getting paperwork done and regretting she hadn't taken that heartburn potion Jennifer gave her.

She was not the only one hard at work that late evening, of course. Far up the stairs in an unused study room near the top floor, Francis Pyther was carefully cleaning another painting, and several others had been taken down and lined up around him, patiently waiting their turn for some much needed attention. They were keeping him company by telling him some stories of their histories as he worked, and most of them were quite fascinating indeed. The more paintings he met at the school, the more impressed by the collection he was. Every one of them had a story to tell, and Pyther became of the opinion that a student could learn quite a bit without touching one book, just going about and asking the paintings about things.

An unusually strong wind suddenly burst open the long double window at the far end of the room, and Pyther had to get up and fix it before the snowy blustery air damaged any of the paintings around him. It settled as quickly as it came and Pyther was able to latch the windows shut, pulling a tiny gold claw to lock them. He threw a couple more logs on the fire before turning back to his work, and was quite surprised to see a tall, dark haired woman with a timeless and beautiful face, looking over the paintings with gently pursed lips.

"Who are you?" he asked with surprise. In a way she reminded him of Jennifer and in another way of Anna…rather, she sort of reminded him of every woman he had ever been eager to paint.

"An admirer," she said coyly, smiling softly. "But none of these are original! I so hoped to see some of your own work. Won't you paint for me?" she asked, her gaze sending a curious wave of emotions through him.

"What would you like me to paint?" he asked. "Might I paint your portrait? I rather think you would look good on canvas…"

"No, no, you need not paint me, you've already painted me," she said enigmatically, standing beside him with unbelievably deep, sincere eyes. "Do you always paint what you see and only what you see? Or have you ever painted something you can only see here?" she asked, touching his chest with one finger. "Perhaps you don't know how," she added, her lilting voice almost challenging.

"Reflection, personal or otherwise, is not something that comes easy to me, my lady," Pyther said gently.

"Have you not ever wanted to paint just to free your imagination and your soul? You would be the best painter alive, if you did that," she said, quite close to him now as she took out one of this empty canvases and set it on an easel in front of him, putting the painting he was working on aside. "Come, let's unleash that creativity of yours. A man does not live even a half life for six hundred years without something to say, something to give…let us see what's inside of you." Her voice was soft and compelling, and something in him awoke that he couldn't quite explain, but whatever it was, Pyther couldn't help but be tempted, seeing so very clearly how much she wanted to know what rested within. Gazing at the colors in front of him, Pyther took the brush from her milky white hand and began to mix a brilliant blue.

* * *

Anna was ready to call it quits for the night. She had gotten caught up on all but the last day of tests, the essays were all marked, and she was quite sure she could easily finish the rest at lunch the next day. It was so late now, and her room was so far away. In fact, she was half tempted to just curl up in her office rather than leave it.

Suddenly an odd sensation came over her and she noticed she was glowing, but wasn't quite sure why at first. There was a presence…a presence in the castle that shouldn't be there, she realized. Instantly she was wide awake and on her feet and securing her office, trying to locate what it was she was feeling. Whatever it was it was strong, and it definitely wasn't an Imp, but it was very wild and was calling out to someone. It was then that she noticed that every single painting in the hall was sleeping fitfully, and knew that something unnatural was causing it. Running quicker and wishing not for the last time that Hogwarts didn't have quite so many stairs, she hurried to where she heard a soft, curious humming and a strange echo coming from down the hall. There she saw the strange woman, standing behind Pyther with her hands resting on him as she coaxed him to keep painting. Dozens of strangely colored paintings littered the room, discarded as if they were no longer important as he began the next, and Pyther's face looked lost, as if caught in a trance.

Anna felt a surge of anger well up inside her. How dare anyone try to do anything to Pyther like this! Who did she think she was trying to get this close to him, stealing the very essence of what he was? A burst of energy caused by her fury and strange jealously lashed out at the woman who turned in surprise, her green eyes suddenly turning red.

"Keep painting, my darling, it won't be long now," the creature said, and Pyther did as he was told, apparently not even aware that Anna was there. But Anna wasn't about to let what was happening continue, and a burst of fire erupted around the painting Pyther had been working on.

Yelping in fear and surprise, Pyther ran away from it and stood against the far wall, trying to figure out what was going on as the woman's form suddenly grew ghostlike, doubling in size as it stood over Anna. She screamed with hatred and unleashed a fury of prismatic beams of light at her, but the dark magic went right through Anna as if it hadn't touched her. Anna stood between the creature and Pyther, not quite sure how to kill it but not about to let her near him.

Suddenly there was movement by the door as Aurora Sinistra and Sibyl Trelawney came running in to see what was going on. Aurora quickly took out her wand, pointing it at the creature.

"_Abhorratum Descendale!_"

Dark tendrils came out of Aurora's wand and grabbed the creature as it attempted to fight it off, dragging it downward and then disappearing into nothing, transported away by the banishing spell.

"I knew the Sidhe would begin to come soon," Sibyl said in the silence that followed. "It won't be long now," she said somberly, turning and heading back to the tower.

"Someone really needs to commit that woman," Aurora said, still panting after the mad dash from her tower. "Are you all right, Anna? Here, Pyther, let me help you up," she said, trying to steady the trembling painter.

"That…that other woman was…" he stammered.

"That was no woman, that was one of the Leanan Sidhe, dark fae muses that devour the souls of artists, living off the energy they inspire," Aurora explained. "They were supposed to be extinct, but apparently the major faerie races are beginning to appear again as well."

"Then she could have…she would have…" Pyther stammered, looking as if he was going to faint again. Anna somehow managed to help catch him from the other side before he could. "Well, I've been behaving like a perfect idiot, haven't I?" he acknowledged, wondering what in the world he must have been thinking to trust a strange woman wandering around Hogwarts in the middle of the night.

Anna reassured him immediately, feeling a bit uncomfortable and foolish for the weird emotions she had experienced during that whole encounter as well.

"Come on, let's get you down to the hospital wing Pyther, and then we'd better go wake Dumbledore," Sinistra said. "I'm sure he's going to want to hear about this."

"Honestly, Aurora, I don't feel all that well myself," Anna admitted, and Aurora turned immediately concerned. In fact, Anna's stomach was churning quite steadily now, her heartburn increased tenfold. After a very long climb, the three of them stumbled into the hospital wing, and Anna didn't argue with Pomfrey when she insisted on getting into a bed, falling to sleep not long afterwards.


	21. Muggles and Mutiny

Chapter Twenty-One

Muggles and Mutiny

Anna woke up several days later, feeling rather strange. In the bed next to her sat Jennifer, dutifully marking papers before she noticed Anna and smiled.

"Poppy, she's awake," Jennifer said, and Poppy quickly hurried over, feeling her forehead and looking her over.

"How are you feeling? Are you hungry at all?" Poppy asked her.

"Starving," Anna admitted. "In fact, I'm not feeling nauseous for a change. What happened?"

"To be perfectly honest, we're not entirely sure," Poppy said. "All of the sudden you began rejecting the other child. But it's all over now, the little girl is back with her mother and you should be feeling better in no time," she said cheerfully, setting up a tray for her.

"Now it's my turn to feel nauseous," Jennifer said grumpily, but then grinned afterwards. "You picked a fine time to do it though! Couldn't you waited a few more days? Minerva decided after she saw you didn't have all your tests done to let your students off with no test at all," she added. Anna groaned at that. "We were all wondering if the Leanan didn't have something to do with you getting sick all the sudden. Pyther said she tried to hit you with a spell of some sort."

"No, I mean, I don't think so, it just seemed to go right through me," Anna said, trying to sit up.

"Slowly now, take your time," Poppy said gently, handing her the tray. "And take small bites, your stomach hasn't had much in it for quite a while. I'll go fetch Sagittari."

"Where's Sirius?" Anna asked.

"Dumbledore had Severus make him a double dose Sleeping Potion and sent him to bed," Jennifer told her. "He's been running himself ragged with the Ministry, and then just before it starts to let up… you go down and Sagittari's calling me into the wing. He'd been up here nearly the whole time," she said.

"I believe you," Anna said, nibbling on some toast. Just then there was the soft noise of a train whistle blowing in the distance, and Severus came into the room a few minutes later, Sagittari not far behind.

"She's awake, doctor, just as you predicted, and she has her appetite back," Poppy said cheerfully.

"That is welcome news," Sagittari smiled. "Take your time and eat, and then we'll see how your twins are doing. Come along, Jennifer, you first."

"I finally get healthy enough to stop everyone from fussing and now I'm being poked at again," Jennifer complained as she slipped out of her bed, but no one missed the insincerity of the complaint, and the bounce in her voice unmistakable. Sagittari followed her to the back room and Severus sat by Anna's side.

"You know I swear you're just as bad as Jennifer when it comes to getting in trouble. I don't suppose it would have occurred to you to have come and gotten me when you suspected there was something wrong?" Severus asked her with a frown.

"If I had, Pyther might have been dead before I got there," Anna protested. "Any idea on who sent it?"

"We don't think anyone sent it, actually, it was merely acting on instinct," Severus said calmly, "Leanan are attracted by strong artistic impulses, and Pyther hasn't had much else in his existence other than his work, making him an easy target."

"How is he?" Severus shrugged.

"Alive. Or dead. Whichever way you want to look at it," Severus said expressionlessly. "I think he'll be a bit more wary in the future, however."

"Just what Pyther needs, to be even more paranoid than he already is," Anna sighed. "I've never met anyone so afraid of death as he is."

"Many men coming face to face with their death fear it," Severus shrugged. "Having but a shell of himself keeping him alive, Pyther faces death every waking moment. Of course that's no excuse to become a spineless coward."

"You know for someone who hates him as much as you do, you seem to understand him fairly well," Anna said. But Severus chose not to comment, glancing over at the door until Jennifer and Sagittari emerged again.

"She is free to go home, provided she stays off her feet for the next three days when she gets there. I trust you will see to that, Severus," Sagittari said solemnly. "Your daughter seems to have adjusted quite nicely, but don't stop taking those potions until I give you leave."

"No sir," Jennifer said happily. "Although it will be hard to rest before Yule. There's just so much to do!"

"Oh, no you don't. You'll leave all that to Corey, Carol and myself," Severus said sternly. "Come on, if we hurry we'll be able to get you settled before I pick up the others at the station." But Jennifer turned to Anna then, sitting on the bed and hugging her in a display of affection that rather surprised her.

"You'll both come to dinner at Christmas of course?" Jennifer asked.

"Well, lunch at least," Anna said, not quite sure what Sirius had planned yet.

"There really aren't any words…well, except…thank you, I suppose," Jennifer said, smiling awkwardly. Anna smiled back.

"Well, we're family, after all. You're the one who's always saying family means everything," Anna pointed out. Jennifer nodded then and stood, joining Severus again, who nodded gently to Anna as well.

"Sirius should be awake again in a few hours. Please send us an owl when you're home and safe," Severus said.

"I will," Anna said, waving as they left, turning her attention back to her meal.

* * *

The kitchen was filled with the smells of gingerbread and anise once again. Corey levitated the Yule log down the basement stairs and over to the fireplace. Jennifer had been settled on the couch next the fire, angled so she could see both the kids in the play area and gaze outside as she curled up with a good book. She looked up with a smile as Corey fit the huge log in and Carol came down for the lighting, calling down to the potion lab for Severus. Severus came in and leaned against the door leading down to the second basement, while the rest of them looked at him, waiting expectantly. Raising his eyebrow, he suddenly grimaced.

"Corey, you light it."

"Nonsense, Mr. Snape, you're the head of the family, it's tradition," Carol coaxed.

"What's wrong, Severus? Don't tell me you're turning Ebenezer Scrooge on me," Jennifer teased.

"It's no problem, I'll light it," Corey said.

"Severus?" Jennifer asked, looking at him.

"If you must know, my magic happens to be out again," Severus snapped irritably. "Now Corey, light it." Jennifer and Carol looked at him curiously as Corey lit the log with a mere flick of the hand, taking his bows before Jennifer and Carol even remembered to clap. Severus was busy at the wine decanter, quite aware that Carol and Jennifer were still watching him as he got his wine and sat down.

"This has something to do with me being pregnant again?" Jennifer asked when she finally got a good look at his face again.

"Do you recall that W. magic I used last year when we Sirius, Sagittari and I were captured by the Fomorians?" Severus said quietly after a moment.

"You mean the one that gave me back my magic while I was carrying Andrew?" Jennifer asked.

"Yes, well, apparently the W. was a bit more complicated than that," Severus muttered. "At the time I was thinking if it had to take something to make it work to do so. What I hadn't realized at the time was that it had, because at the time, I had already overextended my magic, and so was not surprised when my magic didn't work for a few weeks after. It seems that it had decided to take my magic away as compensation," he admitted reluctantly. "And, apparently, since I didn't specify it applied to that exact time…"

"It applies now as well?" Jennifer said in realization as Severus nodded soberly. "I'm not going to lose my magic this time?" she beamed brightly. Severus scowled at her. "Sorry."

"This is serious, Jennifer. If anyone gets wind that my magic is down, I have a feeling the security of the school will be in jeopardy," he said darkly.

"Oh, Severus, it never was when my magic was down," Jennifer sighed at him.

"It's a perception difference I'm speaking of, not reality," Severus explained. "I have always been perceived as a threat, you have not. Although in some ways you have the potential of being more dangerous magic wise, I am perceived the more dangerous enemy." Jennifer frowned, having a hard time trying to figure out how to argue that point.

"Now, then, there's not at all a reason to worry bout it really, is there, now? After all, if Mrs. Snape herself did without it the last three years…" Carol hesitated a moment when he gave her an icy look, then put her hands on her hips as she finished, "you can well deal with it once." There was a loud banging and Carol suddenly remembered the gingerbread cookies and she and Corey ran up the stairs.

"I hope they don't break the oven door this time," Jennifer said.

"Fava? Toes? Toes?" Alex said.

"You are just going to have to do without for awhile," Severus said, sounding even grumpier as he let Alex out of the pen to wander around a bit.

"It won't be as bad as all that, Severus, you'll see," Jennifer said reassuringly, putting down her book. "It's only for a few months."

"And meantime Imps and Fae invade the castle and the rest of the world falls to pieces," Severus grumbled. "And all I can do is sit and watch."

"Nonsense. There's hardly a spell out there that we use on a daily basis that hasn't been bottled in some form. Stop moping and refill your cloak. You're not going to get any sympathy from me," Jennifer said sternly. "You're still the most brilliant, logically minded man I know and if Sherlock Holmes can function without magic, you certainly can." Severus gazed at her wordlessly and she smiled back at him, but before either could say anything Corey appeared on the stairs again.

"It's not the cookies after all, Mom. Mrs. Dimple was at the door, bringing us a Yule basket. Shall I bring her down?" Corey asked.

"Mrs. Who?" Severus asked, looking rather puzzled.

"Good heavens, I forgot to tell you about our neighbors!" Jennifer said paling, getting up. "Corey, keep her up there I'll be up in a minute…er, and shut the door," she said. Glancing between them Corey hurried back up the stairs. "Severus, Eliza Dimple is a friend of mine, she lives just up the street from us." Severus stared at her.

"Please don't tell me you went and let in another Muggle."

"No! Well, yes, but not like that! See, when the house went visible a few weeks ago, Eliza happened to be dropping by and saw it…but no harm done, really! She already knew, she had a cousin who was a witch!" Jennifer explained quickly.

"Jennifer, may I remind you that this house is Secret Kept and for very good reason, and just letting anyone know about its whereabouts endangers all of us?" Severus said, stepping over to her.

"Well, Father Pachem knows we're here and he's a Muggle," Jennifer said.

"Father Pachem has Dumbledore's trust, he's not just some random Muggle off the street," Severus snapped.

"You know, I'm glad you said that, because you see he was here that day when the crowd started developing at the end of our road…"

"Crowd? Did you say crowd?"

"Yes, and well, he had me bring them all in," Jennifer said. Severus' face turned three shades lighter and he gawked openly at her. "Now, don't panic, it's not as bad as all that, they knew about our kind already! I guess this town has sort of had a witch or wizard in town for years, and they thought nothing of it! They even promised to keep it quiet that we're here."

"Jennifer, that's enough. That's what I get for actually believing that Sirius 'took care' of things here," Severus snapped angrily. "Well, I suggest you start thinking about what all you want to take with you, we'll be moving from here the day after Christmas."

"No," Jennifer said firmly. "I'm not moving."

"If it wasn't for you letting those Muggles in we wouldn't have to move!" Severus snapped. Alex started tugging on Severus' robes.

"I'm not arguing about this any more in front of the kids," Jennifer said. "I'm going to go up and see Eliza whether you want to be hospitable or not. And I'm not moving," she added, picking Alex up as she headed up the stairs.

"You're not thinking clearly here, Jennifer. Don't you remember what happened to the Willowbys because they knew we were even in the neighborhood?"

"I'm not likely to forget that, am I?" Jennifer snapped, stopping to look at him.

"Do you want the rest of them to share the same fate?" Severus said. Jennifer held Alex closer, not quite sure what to say to that, when there was a brief knock and Corey opened the door, peering in again.

"Are you coming? She wants to know if she can see the kids. And she brought fresh made springerle," he added, grinning at Severus.

"Fine, I'll come up for a moment so I can see who she looks like in case she ends up at our door again," Severus scowled, "but that's it."

Eliza was happy to stop a moment and share a cup of tea with Carol, standing and smiling warmly as Jennifer appeared, eagerly holding her arms out for Alex who did the same, coming straight over to her.

"Now, then, you didn't have to come all the way up here, not when you're supposed to be taken it easy! Come sit down and make yourself comfortable, we can't have you disobeying doctors orders," Eliza fussed, not happy until she was comfortably sitting in the high-backed chair in the living room. "I brought you a few things for your family for the holidays. I see you've started decorating already," Eliza said with a smile, looking about. "Such lovely garland! Oh, but I'm forgetting my manners, I don't believe we've met?" Eliza said, smiling unsurely at the man watching her warily from the basement door. Corey decided to rise to the occasion.

"Mrs. Dimple, this is my Dad, Severus Snape, Dad, Eliza Dimple, local busy-body."

"Corey Willowby!" Carol and Jennifer shouted at the same time. Severus smirked slightly. But Eliza laughed.

"Now, don't fuss at the boy, that's how I introduce myself often enough," Eliza said kindly. "Ah, then, I recognize you now, you're the man in the picture there in the parlor as well! You have a fine family, Mr. Snape, and so well behaved too! It's a pleasure to meet you at last, Jennifer has spoken very highly of you."

"Has she?" Severus said, briefly taking the hand that was offered him, glancing at Jennifer. Carol went down to check on the other two, bringing them both up with her to be fawned over a bit. Aurelius immediately began crying, not letting up until Severus finally picked him up. "Strangers make him nervous," Severus said curtly, putting Aurelius in the small pen in the living room, helping himself cautiously to one of the springerle.

"And that'll be a blessing down the line, that's a fact," Eliza said with a nod to Severus. "Especially being in your position and all, what with so much to worry about. But then, there that reminds me…a strange man was about the other day looking for you…tall man, in an old fashioned suit with long silver hair, put on quite the airs with us," she said, and Severus and Jennifer exchanged glances, instantly thinking of Lucius Malfoy. "He claimed to be your uncle, Mr. Snape, but seeing as how I'd figure a relative would know where you were we told him to be off."

"You see, Jennifer? It's already starting. We can't afford to have anyone finding the house when we're not home. We have to move," Severus said firmly.

"I'm not going to let anyone terrorize us into doing something we don't want to do," Jennifer snapped back. "We're not criminals and I'm not going to pack up our entire family and leave like fugitives every time someone gets too close!"

"Here now, here now! What's all this talk of moving? We took care of the matter, sure as anything, nobody will be getting to you without your leave, never you fear that," Eliza protested. "We look after our own in this town."

"How much do you know about what happened here four years ago, Mrs. Dimple?" Severus said. "Do you want the same thing to happen again?"

"It will not happen again! We were unprepared then, we had no idea that we were in danger at all!" Eliza said angrily. "What, you think because we've no mystic powers that we can't protect ourselves? If that's what you are thinkin', you're quite wrong. Mr. Door, wise man that he is, has been assuring us the one that caused that horrible crime is gone, but we're not about to let another do the same. And know that even if you leave this very day, they'll be those that come here looking for others of your kind, and if you think we're going to stand for another raising, you're quite mistaken."

"I'm not leaving," Corey said suddenly. "I'm not leaving and letting Essie stay behind. I know Aunt Rebecca won't move and leave Father's farm here. If you go, you're just going to have to leave me here with them, because I'm not letting them go unprotected."

"Well, I'm not moving, I've worked too long on this house to go abandoning it," Jennifer said stubbornly. "We'll be putting people around us in danger wherever we go, at least here now they know what's going on and can watch themselves. Besides, even if we move we'd just be prolonging the inevitable, because we can't hide forever. I'm staying, whether you want to move or not." Severus stared at her in complete surprise.

"The children should stay with their mother of course, so I'll more than be happy to stay and help you," Carol said supportively. Severus gazed at Jennifer a moment longer before retreating down into the basement without another word. Jennifer couldn't help but feel a bit guilty about the obvious mutiny, but stood her ground, accepting a cup of tea from Carol and staying to chat a bit with Eliza before she left.


	22. The Not Distant Enough Relative

Chapter Twenty-Two

The Not-Distant-Enough Relative

More neighbors dropped by with baskets and well-wishes over the next few days, leaving with gingerbread cookies that wriggled in their bags and in the waiting hands of the local children. Remus was in constant attendance as well, usually in the kitchen sitting at the bar and talking to Carol or helping her with the kids, which had grown rather fond of their 'Uncle Moony.' But Severus stayed fairly close to the lab, working on potions that he wanted to include in his cloak away, and only stepped out when Harry came to see him, the two of them quickly disappearing back into the lower basement.

Before Jennifer knew it, it was Christmas Eve. Corey, Essie, and she worked at hanging the last of the stockings and tagging the last of the presents for the midnight owls. Carol had left just a few hours earlier, fussing over having bottles and plenty of supplies at hand for them before she went with Remus back to Ireland to visit her father.

The children were soon nestled all snug in their beds, and Corey and Essie made their way through the up the snowy road to attend church. With watch in hand, Jennifer went down the stairs to the lab. She sighed softly then, shaking her head.

"Can't that wait for one night?" Jennifer asked as Severus looked up from a series of bubbling beakers.

"Are they on their way?" Severus asked, still working.

"Yes, it's already pointing to Rebecca's," Jennifer said.

"The others?"

"Coral bells under the windows and doors warded," Jennifer said with a nod, "just as you asked."

"You think I'm being overly cautious don't you?" Severus asked, finishing the first of the mixtures and turning it off.

"My father always says there's no such thing as being overcautious," Jennifer said. "Besides, I think the truth is that you don't think I take the danger we're in seriously."

"It's not that," Severus said, turning off another burner with a sigh. "You know there was a time when we first met that you took any advice I gave without question. A trust…that was probably not very well founded, really," he admitted. Jennifer smiled softly.

"Wasn't it? Would I be here today if I hadn't?" Jennifer asked.

"No," Severus said, "No, you wouldn't, but that wasn't exactly what I meant. I only meant that to so willingly offer such blind trust to someone you knew nothing about wasn't exactly the most brilliant thing you've ever done," he said.

"And yet you act as though you miss it," Jennifer sighed. "Although I can't say I blame you. Severus, I'm sorry about what I said about the house…it's merely a place, it's not important compared to our safety. It's just, well, ever since I was seven, I've always felt like I was on the run. Even coming to Hogwarts I was running from my own past, from the pain of my mother's death…and then you bought this place, the first place I ever dared to try to make into a home in all those years. I guess I've gotten sentimental in my old age," Jennifer smiled softly at herself before turning to gaze at Severus, who had just turned off the last of the burners. "If you think we should move, we'll move."

"What time is it?" he asked abruptly.

"Oh, um, just after eleven," Jennifer said.

"I suppose that's close enough," Severus said, walking right passed her and across the hall to his small study, taking a scroll off the desk and handing it out to her.

"What's this?" Jennifer asked, carefully unrolling it.

"It's the deed to the property," Severus said expressionlessly. "I had it transferred to your name. Not that it wasn't always yours, but at least now it's official."

"I don't understand," Jennifer said. "I thought…well, I mean, it's not about our safety as much as the children, and you're right in that we can't compromise that."

"If the only way you could insure their complete protection was to lock them in a vault with no windows or access to the outside world, would you?" Severus asked, and Jennifer stared at him in surprise.

"No, of course not," Jennifer said, looking at him thoughtfully.

"Yes, well, Harry asked me the same thing," Severus said, "and in the process got me to admit that when protection begins to impair the ability to live that it isn't worth it anymore. And you shouldn't give in so easily when you're right," he frowned sternly at her. Jennifer smiled softly at him.

"You know me better than that. I'm as stubborn as they come, unless the person I'm arguing with happens to be you."

"Odd, I seem to have the exact same problem," Severus mused. "Of course your realize that we'll have to put some other security measures in place here for when we're gone," Jennifer hugged him warmly and he held her in his arms contentedly.

"Whatever you think is necessary, I trust you," Jennifer said, gazing at him. "Do you want your present now as well?"

"I already have the greatest gift you can give me," Severus shrugged slightly, his eyes not leaving hers.

"I love you, Severus," Jennifer said softly.

"Yes, that's the one," Severus agreed, kissing her lovingly.

* * *

Chaos broke out promptly at eight the next morning with a loud squeal from Alex, followed by the ruckus of Corey attempting to get the other two down to the main floor to the guest living room where their presents were. Jennifer reluctantly stumbled out of bed only to find her slippers missing again. She sighed to herself and threw on her robe, walking out of the bedroom as Corey stuck Andrew in the pen, the other two already trying to figure out what was up with all the wrapping paper. As she sat down in her favorite chair with a yawn, Jennifer found a cup of black tea and her nausea potion in front of her nose as Corey held them out to her.

"So, can we get into our presents now?" Corey asked, ignoring the fact that Alex had already found the doll left out for her and Aurelius was experimentally pulling ribbons off all the packages.

"Wake your Dad up," Jennifer said, downing the potion before settling in with her tea.

"Too late," Severus said irritably, stalking into the room, sitting down beside Jennifer but glancing wistfully at the ornate cloak folded up under the tree. "Maybe I'll try out your gift this morning."

"Oh, no you don't," Jennifer chuckled at him. "You're going to stay right here where I can see you and be a part of the family for a change. That's what you get for not going to sleep at a decent hour."

"Well, it's your fault," Severus said defensively.

"Never mind the flirting, can they get their presents or not?" Corey asked.

"As if it wasn't yours you were after," Jennifer scolded him knowingly. Corey grinned.

"Well it's not like I can't figure out which one is mine," Corey said, peering at the broom leaning in the corner behind the tree.

"Just let's try not to turn this one into toothpicks?" Severus scowled at him, picking up Andrew as Jennifer let them loose on the presents. Pretty soon animated toys of every kind were bleating, squawking, screeching, walking and flying around the room, turning the area into a zoo. Corey also handed Alex his present for her of a bag of the licorice beetles. After taking one and watching it wriggle suspiciously for a moment, Alex swallowed it whole and set the bag down and let them wander out as she went back to her doll. The baby was sucking its thumb, crying and kicking realistically any time Alex pulled it out until she put the thumb back in again.

"Oh, just what we need. Another Aurelius," Corey teased. Hearing his name, Aurelius looked up and glared at Corey, still sucking his thumb. He then spied one of the beetles and proceeded to smash it into the floor with his other fist, then peeled it off the floor and nibbled experimentally on it. Jennifer shuddered.

"I don't think I like those things," she decided.

"They're not all that bad," Severus decided, already having eaten half of his bag of them, offering her one. Jennifer took one look at it and promptly went into the kitchen, followed close behind by Severus, who had sat Andrew on the floor to play with his talking book. "You know, I think we overdid it this year."

"We overdo it every year," Jennifer grinned, grabbing a piece of stolen off the bar. "If we keep this up, we're going to have to add more room to the nursery. Have you seen my slippers?"

"Cheshire probably took off with them again," Severus frowned.

"Well the last time they were missing, I found them in Rasputin's bed in your office," Jennifer pointed out.

"Probably Cheshire attempting to get Rasputin into trouble," Severus muttered, heading down to check his office.

At that point, there was a knock at the door. Thinking it was his sister, Corey went to grab it, popping open the door and staring at complete surprise at the person beyond it.

It was not his sister.

The tall man, dressed in an old-fashioned suit with a long tailored black coat, eyed Corey warily with his beady, jet-black eyes. He had thick grey hair, streaked with black, which he wore slicked back just off the shoulder, and his face was sharp featured and pale.

"I am looking for Severus Snape, and I would like to find him without further dodges or distractions or diversions, if you don't mind," he said curtly. Corey glanced over his shoulder but Jennifer had already become alert, stepping over to the door to see a rather familiar looking man gazing her over with unnerving scrutiny, from her auburn head to her evening robe to her bare feet. But Jennifer had no doubt at all, although she never met him before, exactly who he was. There could be little doubt she could be looking at another Snape.

"Augustus Snape?" Jennifer inquired and his eyes quickly focused on hers. "I'm Jennifer Craw Snape, your nephew's wife. Won't you come in?"

"Yes, I've heard a great deal about you," Augustus said almost skeptically, as if suddenly not believing what he heard. "You are Thomas Craw's daughter?"

"Yes, I am," Jennifer smiled proudly. Augustus' piercing gaze calmed slightly.

"I knew him…a bit quick tempered, but a good man. I hear he took out several of those nasty Death Eaters before they sent him to Azkaban?" he inquired, gazing around the house and at the paper tossed mayhem of the living room. Alex held her dolly and looked at him curiously, as did Aurelius, but Andrew was too busy playing with the ribbons to give anyone else any notice.

"He turned himself in, actually, but yes, he's in Azkaban," Jennifer said. "Would you care for a drink or something?" she offered cautiously. Before he could reply the basement door opened and Severus walked out, carrying something mangled in his hand.

"Well, I found them, or what's left of them," he began, stopping short when he saw who was standing in the living room, dropping the slippers. "What are you doing here?" he demanded.

"I see you haven't changed," Augustus said disapprovingly. "At least your wife has some manners at least. Actually, I tried to call on number of occasions before but found that hospitality is somewhat lacking in this…lackluster community of yours. I've had Muggles treating me like common gutter trash and no one ever giving me a straight answer as to your exact whereabouts. Fortunately, I was able to get in touch with my niece again who finally gave me directions."

"Remind me to thank Anna for that the next time I see her," Severus muttered to Jennifer, who smiled wanly at him then excused herself to her room to get dressed.

"So, I see fame doesn't appear to have brought you much fortune, if the size of your house is any measure," Augustus said, looking around distastefully. "And are _all_ these yours?"

"This is Corey, Alexandria, Aurelius, and Andrew, and we live here because we like it here," Severus said defensively. "And perhaps if we had known you were coming, we could have prevented any trouble you might have had with our neighbors."

"When you were young you wouldn't have ever even considered having anything to do with that sort of 'neighbor' at all. Perhaps you have changed some," he mused.

"Make up your mind, either I have or I haven't…not that I really care about your opinion anyhow. You lost that and any say so in my life the day my parents died."

"He did the same to you that my aunt did to me, didn't he?" Corey said suddenly, looking at Augustus curiously. "Were you afraid of him too? Or just what the Death Eaters would do to someone who looked after him?"

"Corey, was it?" Augustus said, studying him warily. "You should learn to hold your tongue when speaking of things you know nothing about, especially when adults are speaking. Fear is nothing but an impairment of reason, and men of reasoning don't succumb to it. I merely have learned to know my limitations, and I was hardly qualified to take in such a troubled youth."

"You wanted me institutionalized," Severus accused him. Corey's expression turned of one of extreme dislike. "And Corey can say what he likes, he knows exactly what he's talking about."

Jennifer came back in her best dress, smiling warmly as she rejoined them, ignoring the round of glares passing between the three of them.

"Well, I hope I didn't miss anything. Severus, it's much too crowded up here today with the presents and all, why don't you invite your uncle downstairs?"

"No," Severus said curtly. "He was just leaving."

"Nonsense, Severus, he just got here, and after all, it's Christmas, don't be such an old scrooge," Jennifer scoffed lightly. "Here, let me help you with your coat. Corey, would you see about picking up in here a bit and letting each of them take a toy downstairs in the play area? Right this way, sir, it's much more comfortable down here. Would you care for some tea?"

Severus and Corey stared after Jennifer as she led Augustus down the stairs, baffled by her actions, looking at one another in disbelief.

"Haven't you ever told her about him?" Corey asked.

"Yes," Severus said, "often," he glowered. But the two of them knew it was too late to do anything but make the best of it for now. What was she thinking, Severus wondered, picking up Aurelius before he tried to tackle the stairs on his own. After all, she was a Truth Seeker, no matter how naïve she could be. By the time they got down there, she had already shown Augustus the lab, Severus' office and was heading back up the stairs into the living room.

"No, just our room is in the original cottage. The nursery is upstairs, on the second story behind the book case, as well as our nanny, Carol's suite," Jennifer was explaining as they headed up and she grabbed a tea tray, setting it on the side table by the fireplace. "We had a terrible time finding a nanny, we wanted someone traditional that could handle what we had in mind. I'd hate to have to replace her," she sighed, handing Augustus a cup.

"I can imagine, it's getting harder and harder to find dependable help these days," he agreed. "What do you intend to do with their schooling?"

"Stoddard or Kensington for primary, most likely, although being that I grew up in the States I've no preference, but I've heard they're both excellent schools," Jennifer told him. Severus stared at them in apparent disbelief of their casual conversation.

"Kensington is a bit more respectable if you ask me, and more selective about their students. Stoddard will let anyone in who's willing to pay the tuition. Severus, you went to Stoddard, didn't you?" Augustus asked, looking up at him. Severus promptly stomped out of the room and down to his office, slamming the door. "I'll take that as a yes," Augustus said evenly, sipping his tea while Jennifer sighed and frowned at the stairs. Corey, who looked even less hospitable than Severus, quickly excused himself the moment he heard a knock at the door.

"I'm sorry, Uncle Augustus, I don't know what's gotten into them," Jennifer said apologetically.

"Don't apologize for him, Jennifer, I certainly don't blame you for it in any way," Augustus said gruffly. "It's less about what's gotten into and more about what he's not gotten over. If he tried looking at it from an adult perspective, I'm sure he'd have a different take on things," he mused, shaking his head. "Severus had been a troubled child ever since his mother died; Meryl's presence only made things worse, and then after what happened…I told Octavius to get out of there years ago, but he wouldn't listen, stubborn as a mule, my brother was. And then after what Severus did, it was apparent right away I wouldn't have been able to handle him. I was neither qualified nor in a position to help Severus, although I would gladly have paid for any care he had needed had Dumbledore not shown an interest in things and taken over. Probably the best thing that ever happened to him, see if he can argue that point," Augustus said with a curt nod to Jennifer, who smiled softly in thought. "I wouldn't have been able to save him."

"I know," Jennifer said gently. "Give him time, I'm sure he'll see that as well."

"He's had thirty years," Augustus pointed out, standing. "If he isn't willing to see it now, he never will be." Just then there were footsteps coming from above and Jennifer looked up to see Corey, Anna and Sirius heading down, exchanging 'Happy Christmases' as they came into view. To Jennifer's surprise, Anna immediately went over and hugged Augustus, who stiffly patted her back in return before she headed over to the pen and grabbed Alex, who had been trying to climb out.

"You had no trouble getting here this time?" Anna asked him.

"Thank you, no. I was able to get here without being accosted for a change," Augustus glowered again.

"If I had any idea it was really you, I would have made sure they knew to let you in," Jennifer assured him. "But from the description they gave, we thought it was Lucius Malfoy."

"I in no way resemble Lucius Malfoy," Augustus said in such an indignant tone that Jennifer had to grin.

"What, has the dragon retreated to his lair already?" Sirius said, glancing down the stairs. "It's not even eleven o'clock yet."

"I take it things didn't go so well," Anna sighed.

"Yes, well, I warned you," Augustus said, putting on his gloves.

"Are you still coming to the mansion to see us this evening?" Sirius asked him.

"I need to call on some people since I'm in the country, but I'm sure I'll stop by before I head back," Augustus said.

"I'll show you out," Corey said icily, heading back up the stairs in front of him.

"Let that fool husband of yours know that I think he has a charming wife," Augustus said. "And if you ever have trouble with him or feel he is taking advantage of you in any way," he said, noting the children and her condition, "feel free to come to me." Jennifer blushed bright red.

"Er, thank you, Uncle Augustus, I will," Jennifer said to him as he nodded politely then followed Corey up the stairs.

"I think I'll go see how badly Severus is breathing fire," Sirius said cheerfully, heading down to the lab. Jennifer sat back down in relief, offering Anna a seat.

"Well! That was a rather unexpected Christmas surprise! Anna, why didn't you mention he was looking for us? From what I've read, he's been in contact with you for awhile."

"Yes, to be honest, I've been writing to him for nearly a year, figuring he'd be a good place to find out some of my Snape genealogy. I had no idea he'd been trying to get to Severus until last night when he ended up at the mansion furious as creation and threatening to blow up your entire town," Anna grinned. "Not that he'd do it, but he was definitely furious. Some of them were just dodging him, others threatened to turn him into the police for trespassing, and others kept offering to take him and leading him as far away from the town as they could get."

"Great stars, I hope they're careful, if that had been someone like Malfoy we might have found some townsfolk missing," Jennifer said worriedly.

"I doubt it, Jennifer, you know what the penalties are like for killing Muggles with magic. Malfoy would never put himself in a position where he'd cleanly be to blame for something like that. Besides, from what I understand from Harry, Dumbledore's been keeping an eye on this town for months. If there's trouble, I'm sure he'll hear about it. He's been watching all the towns involved in the attacks four years ago," Anna said, "although this is the only town that seems to exhibit any integrated behavior."

"To be perfectly honest, I've always been afraid of the idea," Jennifer admitted, "But this town is so close knit, it's not like we're in a Muggle town at all, really. And I rather like all the townsfolk I met. I'm just afraid they're going to get hurt."

"Jennifer, you've been without magic three times and you were hardly defenseless," Anna said in annoyance. "They're no more defenseless than you are."

Corey appeared on the stairs, sitting down halfway to the bottom.

"Well, you can all relax now, that pompous ass finally left," he said.

"Corey Willowby!" Jennifer exclaimed, standing up in surprise, putting her hands on her hips.

"Mom, you didn't hear him earlier. He was treating Dad, like…like…"

"Like your Dad treats other people?" Anna finished mischievously. Jennifer glared at her.

"Well, only during class," Corey defended. "Actually, he was more like Malfoy and Dad on a bad day, all mushed into one person. That's just too scary for words, I can't believe you were nice to that grinch!"

"Corey, you of all people should know by now not to judge people by first impressions," Jennifer chided him.

"Mom, he was a creep," Corey said.

"Duly noted and seconded," Severus said, coming up the stairs followed closely behind by Sirius.

"I like him," Sirius said cheerfully, putting his hands in his pockets.

"You like him because he doesn't like me," Severus accused him.

"True, but I still like him," Sirius agreed.

"You know, you really ought to talk to him. After all, he did come here on Christmas to see how you were," Jennifer told Severus.

"Duly noted and seconded," Anna put in. Severus glared at them. "He's coming for dinner if you want to drop by later." Severus gave her such a sour look that even non Truth Seekers could tell indicated he would rather harvest fresh newt eyes than do any such thing.

"Sirius, you look so much better than I've seen you look in a long time," Jennifer commented with a smile, quickly changing the subject.

"Oh, yeah, the problem with spells weakening cleared up again, so I am taking a vacation for as long as it holds," Sirius chuckled. "One thing about this wacky rift, it does come and go, this is the second time we've had a lull since these problems started."

"Well, at least whatever's causing it was decent enough to take off for Christmas," Jennifer chuckled.

"I'd drink to that, if I had a drink," Sirius said mischievously, and pretty soon found himself with one before they settled in to exchange presents.


	23. The Lady, the Sword, and the Stone

Chapter Twenty-Three

The Lady, the Sword, and the Stone

As always on Christmas, Jennifer and her family made their traditional trek to Azkaban prison, and this year was an especially happy one. Thomas had been downgraded in security several months before when he was officially declared a non-escape risk, and the magic fields that had separated them in past years were no longer there. Not to mention not having to break any rules letting their three children in for their annual grandfather inspection, and Thomas couldn't be more pleased to see Jennifer again for the first time since September. Jennifer herself couldn't help but notice that the drawn look he had picked up his first couple of years there had been slowly disappearing and he seemed, despite his normally gruff personality, that he was more content now than he had been in years past, although Jennifer wasn't quite sure why. They'd been keeping him busy somehow, she mused, and with his mind having something active to do he had regained the focus that had always given him his strength of character.

Alex and Aurelius fought to be the first to be picked up and Aurelius won out; Alex having to content herself with her father. Andrew in the meantime sat up on the table and grinned at the strange man on the other side with interest.

"He looks like your mother, Jennifer," Thomas commented, nodding to Andrew. "He certainly doesn't look much like a Craw at any rate."

"His nose looks a lot like mine did at that age," Severus commented.

"The Snape curse," Thomas chuckled teasingly. "He'll be as ugly as sin."

"Bite your tongue, he'll be as handsome as his father," Jennifer defended, gazing at Severus. Thomas looked amused.

"Yes, Severus, he may get lucky and find a girl with unusual tastes like you did," Thomas said mischievously. Jennifer stuck her tongue out at her father. "Speaking of Snapes, though, guess who paid me a visit a few hours ago."

"Don't tell me, Uncle Augustus," Severus said, making a slight face.

"You know we never got along, Augustus and I, he was always convinced…well, convinced that Octavius and I were over our heads. I hate people who come visit me to gloat and say I told you so," Thomas grunted.

"Yes, but wasn't he a little right?" Jennifer asked, ignoring the expressions coming across Severus' face.

"Yes, damn it all, which is why I sat there and took it instead of having Boltin throw him out," Thomas scowled at her. "I did happen to murder a couple of people Augustus had wanted out of the way for years, though, so we decided to make amends."

"I'm thrilled."

"Yes, Severus, he said you would be," Thomas chuckled. "How's that old spook Icarus doing?"

"Still dead," Severus said. "He mopes a lot less than he used to."

"Only because he has more people to torment," Jennifer commented. "Lately he's been harassing Sibyl Trelawney from what I've heard."

"It couldn't have happened to a more deserving subject," Severus said. There was a click as the door opened again and Harry came in, Boltin not far behind.

"Well, who might you be? You seem familiar, but I'm not quite sure," Thomas said to Harry, squinting.

"I'm sorry, Thomas, you couldn't possibly imagine how busy I've been lately," Harry apologized, handing him a package. "Happy Christmas, Thomas, Jennifer, Severus, Corey, and little Snapes," he grinned. "I'm afraid I can't stay long. Ron and I are off on a short expedition tomorrow. Viviane is going to lead us to the Stone of Fal."

"Oh, be careful, Harry, I'm not sure I'd altogether trust where she may lead you to," Jennifer said suddenly concerned. Severus looked at her curiously.

"I know, Jennifer, don't worry. Dumbledore and I talked about it for a long time when we volunteered to go," Harry said. "But she has her reasons for giving it to us, I'm sure, we just have to make certain she's not trying to manipulate us."

"Is there something you're not telling me about my Aunt that I don't know about yet?" Severus said with a frown.

"Guess you never finished that book of Tennyson, did you, Dad?" Corey said sounding amused.

"All right, Severus, we'll tell you, but I'm not sure you're really going to believe it," Jennifer said just before telling him who she was. Severus stared at her in speechless shock.

* * *

"I don't believe it," Ron said in awe as the rock opened to reveal a passage on the edge of the lake, leading down into darkness. "I should have brought my camera."

"I have a feeling if you used it, you wouldn't be going back with it," Harry murmured to him as Viviane turned back to gaze at them.

"Well? What are you gaping at? Hurry and go in so I can hide the entrance," Viviane said impatiently.

"You don't think she'd try to trap us in there, do you?" Ron whispered back to Harry as they passed in.

"She wouldn't dare, Dumbledore knows what we were planning to do today," Harry murmured back.

"For your information, I no more plan to lock you in my home any more than I did Merlin, despite any popular rumors you may have heard," Viviane said, her eyes flashing slightly before turning to seal the entrance behind her. "A few thousand years, even among those of you with magic, can twist the simplest woman's life story," she added, wandering on in the darkness, pausing only when they failed to keep up. She impatiently reached up and a small light appeared just below her face, causing her icy eyes to sparkle as she looked at them. "I'll allow you to have a torch, but only if you watch me and not any reflections you may see, is that clear?" she said in a voice that breached no argument. Harry couldn't see Ron's face to guess what he was thinking, but nodded.

"Sure," he said.

"Anything to keep from stumbling around in the dark anymore," Ron agreed. The Lady reached over to the wall and a torch burst to life as she removed it from its place. Dazzling prisms filled the room reflected off the torch against the pure crystal walls and ceiling, the light of the torch magnified by all the reflective surfaces.

"Look straight ahead," Viviane reminded them, walking swiftly forward again. It was so difficult to keep his eyes fixed on her…Harry couldn't help but be a bit curious as to why they weren't allowed to look, yet Dumbledore had warned him to tread lightly with Viviane in her own territory. But Ron had seen something…an odd shadow from the corner of his eye, and realized from a brief glance in the crystal that there was an object lodged in the ceiling just ahead of them. Lagging behind, Ron tried to time just when the object would be above his head then glanced up, reaching for what appeared to be the hilt of a sword. Faster than lightning, Viviane had turned and smacked his hand forcefully away, her eyes flashing with a frightening look that wasn't altogether human.

"Now is not the time for that, blood or no blood!" she snapped. "Don't try to touch anything else in here without my leave!"

"I'll make sure he doesn't, Viviane," Harry assured her, standing by Ron's side.

"Be assured if either of you do, you've only yourselves to blame for the terrible fate that will follow," Viviane warned, picking up the pace even faster, glancing back warily at them every now and again.

"What are you doing, do you realize what sort of dangerous ground we're on here?" Harry hissed at Ron as they continued on.

"I couldn't help it, it called to me somehow," Ron said. "You don't think that was _the_ sword, do you?" he asked.

"Ron. We're in a crystal cave delved beneath a lake in the middle of a forest in the middle of nowhere, following someone as old if not older than Merlin and just as famous to find a stone that's supposed to sing whenever the heir to the high king comes in contact with it. What do you think?" Harry asked curtly.

"I think I should have grabbed it when I had the chance," Ron said, earning a glare from Harry.

Well, just how many opportunities would he ever get to touch the hilt of Excalibur again? But he was quickly distracted as the tunnel they were following suddenly dipped into a huge cavern, the walls all covered with the same multi-angled crystal as the way there. A glow came in from above making odd waves of light through the room, and Harry couldn't help but look up to see the surface of the water above them. But his wonder soon led his eyes back to the center of the room where stood a large, plain looking monolith.

"Behold, the Lia Fal; the Stone of Destiny," Viviane said solemnly. "It is said it will scream for any legitimate heir of the High Kings, and weep for any pretender. You may touch the stone, Weasley."

Nodding almost nervously, Ron stepped over to it, not quite sure that the stone wasn't going to do something unexpected as he reached his hand out to touch it. The moment he did, it let out a harmonic whine and startled him, making him take a step back. Slowly the sound died away, leaving Harry's ears ringing.

"How were you able to find it? I mean, I heard it had been stolen…was that you?"

"No, I simply acquired it from the one who happened to acquire it from the original owner," Viviane said evenly, leaving Harry to try and work that one out for himself. "I did it to make sure it wouldn't falling into the wrong hands, and I'd certainly hate for this to all have been in vain, so you must take it to the castle without delay. Dumbledore can figure out what to do with it when he has it."

"Well, I suppose we should minimize it and get going then," Harry said, reaching for his wand. But Viviane was quickly at his side, stopping him.

"No! You can't use any spells you have to aim in here. If a beam hits the crystal, it will have disastrous results!" Viviane warned him. "Besides, the Stone of Fal is completely fused with Ancient blood magic. I doubt any of your modern spells would work on it."

"Well, then how do you expect us to get it out of here, then?" Ron asked.

"That's your problem," Viviane said coolly. "I've done my part bringing you here. You figure out how to get it out by yourself. I need to take care of something while I'm here. Do not look at the walls," Viviane said, wandering down a corridor they hadn't noticed before, completely hidden by the surrounding crystal.

"How do you suppose she got it down here?" Ron sighed. "Some otherworldly technique she thinks beyond us, no doubt."

"No," Harry said, looking up. "I think all she really had to do was find a way to get it to the edge of the lake. I'm quite sure she just used her power over the lake to take hold of it and send it down here to the bottom. So what we need to do is figure out how to get it back up."

"This thing must weigh a ton," Ron sighed, glancing up. "Too bad we can't use a levitation spell."

"Well, we could maybe use something that can levitate on its own," Harry said thoughtfully.

"It'd break any broom, even several together if you tried," Ron said.

"Actually I was thinking of something a bit larger," Harry admitted. Ron and Harry exchanged looks. "You think it would be willing to help?"

"Probably, if we can find it," Ron said. "We'd better get going if we're going to try though, I'd rather look for it in the daytime rather than…at…" his thoughts suddenly left him as he caught his full reflection in one of the crystals, staring in amazement as he watched the image of himself pulling out the sword from the cavern he had seen it in, a regal look crossing his face as he wielded it proudly.

"Ron, what are you doing?" Harry said, attempting to pull him away. But another reflection caught Harry's attention and he saw Ginny holding a child, talking to someone beside her that he couldn't see at first. But Ron turned to the same vision and saw for certain it was Hermione holding a baby of her own, and then Arthur Weasley appeared, saying something to the girls with a smile. Hermione then got up and hoisted the baby off on Arthur and ran out of view, Ginny and Arthur's eyes following her.

"Harry! Look!" Ron said, and Harry looked over at the reflection that Ron had noticed. Harry recognized it at once; it was the first Christmas he had at Hogwarts, just as Ron and he began opening their presents, watching in amazement as he saw himself enfold the cloak all over again. Then, as he glanced away, he saw himself at his wedding. He felt very strange when he noticed several ghosts in the background watching the wedding itself, including his mother and father.

"I think," Harry said slowly, hardly able to peel his eyes from the images, "I think we need to get out of here."

"Half a moment, I want to see the girl's face," Ron said insistently, his eyes intent on the child his wife was holding. "Hermione always did want a girl."

"Come on, Ron, this is…this is like the Mirror of Erised…only it's worse, with truth and falsehoods and desires all intermingled somehow. We really shouldn't be looking at these."

"I know we shouldn't, you're right," Ron agreed, but didn't make any move away from them. Suddenly he gasped. "Harry, look!" Harry couldn't help but glance over to see what had frightened Ron, and found himself facing the image of Voldemort, but one much younger than he had faced, entering a house that felt extremely familiar to him. It was when he saw the face of his father appear and a green flash of light erupt that he was quite certain he had had enough of looking into the crystals.

* * *

It was very late before the car finally pulled up along side the castle. Harry directed Ron to drive over to the Perch, jumping out when they came close and then getting the car to slowly back up at an angle to try and levy the stone gently out of the back. It took a while to manage it, and just as they finally set it down, Dumbledore stepped out onto the parapet with a pleased smile on his face. Ron jumped out as well, patting the car on the side.

"Thanks Car," Harry said.

"Good show Car, thanks," Ron agreed enthusiastically as the car slowly drove itself down back towards the forest. "You know, we really need to find a better name for it than Car."

"I see your mission was a success," Dumbledore said, looking in this robe pockets for something.

"It's the real one," Harry said with a nod. "She had it down beneath the lake in the Crystal Cave, although we had a devil of a time moving it. I hope you don't mind us coming up here, you asked us to be discreet and all, and with the car…"

"Well done," Dumbledore said with another smile. "I have the perfect spot in mind for where to keep it, but for now we should just get it to my sitting room."

"How?" Ron asked, and Dumbledore produced two bottles of potion, handing one to each.

"Strength potion, now why didn't we think of that before?" Harry sighed, rolling his eyes. "I told you we should have brought Severus."

"I don't think I'd want to see whatever it was he would have seen in those reflections," Ron said, taking the potion.

"Good point," Harry agreed, taking the other, easily picking up one end of the stone. Ron tried to pick up the other end and it began to whine again, and Dumbledore produced a pair of gloves as Ron blushed slightly and thanked him. "Well, so much for being discreet," Harry said as the owls above them started to hoot in protest to the noise.

But it was quite late, and with most the students and staff gone for the holiday, it was easy to get down the stairs and over to the study without being seen, setting it gently just inside the sitting room, Ron not helping but taking a curious look around behind the curtain before slipping back into the study with Harry.

"It's done," Harry said, exhaling and sitting down in one of the chairs in front of the desk. "All the parts of the Callum Seal are now in the school."

"But they're just here to be protected, right?" Ron asked. "I mean, they're not going to be used to try to open it or anything?"

"It may become necessary to gather the pieces and take down the seal long enough that we can recreate the gate and restore it to its original strength, preventing creatures to slip through the cracks as they have been lately," Dumbledore said seriously. "But I do plan to try every possible other solution before we attempt something of that magnitude. However, between the school and its allies, I believe that we can safely open the gate, regardless of the current popular rumors believing it will destroy all magic and end the world as we know it."

"I thought magic couldn't be created or destroyed in any case," Harry said.

"True, yes. I think, rather, that the real danger is producing a vacuum effect of energy if the gate is opened improperly, which either draws magic from this world into theirs or their world into ours, creating a burst of magic on one side and a drain from the other, unbalancing both our world and theirs," Dumbledore explained. "Of course, if the gate is open long enough, probably several hundred years, it will eventually rebalance. But magic as we know it will be changed forever, and it'd most likely propel both worlds into chaos in the meantime as creatures that we can not possibly handle come into this world, and creatures they cannot possibly handle wander into theirs."

"With all their power, what could we possibly have over here that the faerie world would be susceptible to?" Ron asked.

"Muggles," Harry told him, and Dumbledore nodded gently.


	24. The Musketeers Reunited

Chapter Twenty-Four

The Musketeers Reunited

It wasn't long after Corey had opened his package from Doug that Christmas that he knew he wanted to see him. Writing some hurried notes courtesy of Ratfly, he quickly arranged meeting up with the whole gang at Aviation Park that next weekend. Essie was happy to come along; she had gotten her first broom from Aunt Jennifer and Uncle Severus and wanted to try it out on a real Quidditch Pitch, wondering if she'd ever even have the nerve to actually try to play a game.

So with new brooms in hand they entered the floo, and before Essie knew it she was stepping into a small corner gift shop which sold odd trinkets of airplanes and model airplanes and hats with airplanes and postcards with airplanes, along with an assortment of Quidditch supplies, balls, and books. Waving at the shop attendant who smiled and waved back, the two of them headed outside where Essie found herself in a huge airplane hanger. It had been completely gutted, reinforced, and turned into a narrow but playable Pitch, even now filled with kids from all over the area, some hardly older then seven or eight were there, dragging their brooms behind them.

"I thought students weren't allowed to learn magic until they entered secondary school," Essie whispered as they headed to the pitch.

"Well, riding a broom isn't exactly like using magic yourself, the broom's doing it. In magic families, they don't just throw out everything in the house that does magic just because they have a child, after all," Corey grinned at her. "Actually, I hear they run a summer league here for the smaller kids, but I wouldn't want to hold a serious game here; you are limited to how high you can go and sometimes the Bludgers ricochet off the hanger, so if you're a Beater like me you don't want to hit them as hard as you really need to at times." Corey waved and called out to where he saw Doug, Taylor and Danny standing, the three of them waving back as they came near. His eyes focused on Doug, who stepped a bit away from the others as they came near, awkwardly offering his hand in a truce. "Thanks for the sparring glove," Corey said warmly, taking it.

"Thanks for the glove you gave me too," Doug said sheepishly. "Look, about what I said…"  
"Let's just forget it," Corey suggested. Doug nodded slightly. "It really hasn't been the same without you around, Porthos."

"Yeah, but I needed to figure out some things on my own, and I guess…I guess I took that out on you, and I shouldn't have, really. Although I was really irked at you for leaving the penalty box."

"If you only knew what really happened…"

"Actually, I did. Danny told me not long after. I guess I just wasn't ready to listen. That and I didn't want to admit you could do something else I couldn't."

"Oh, come on Doug, you got a lot going for you…." Corey started, but Doug cut him off.

"I still need to figure out what my goal in life is, so I'd hold off on that for now," Doug said.

"What about your goal of dating every girl in our year at least once before you get out of school?" Corey asked.

"Well, yeah, there's still that, but I meant something bigger," Doug grinned, turning to walk back to the others.

"Dating every girl in school not in your year?" Essie suggested. Corey chuckled at her.

"No, that'd include you, and if Doug ever tried that, I'd kill him," he grinned at Doug good-naturedly, who grinned back. Essie winced slightly and then smiled when they looked back, knowing that was probably true.

"Well, you couldn't get a date with my sister if you tried, so I'm safe from that problem," Doug teased him back.

"Corey!" Danny said, growing impatient. She was holding a paper in her hands and waving him over to where they sat on the edge of the stands. "Hi Doug! Did your parents let you keep the mouse?"

"Er, well, you see, I couldn't find it when I left for the holidays," Doug admitted. "I'm sure he'll be alright, Whiskers is pretty smart, you know."

"No wonder your parents won't let you have a familiar," Taylor said. Doug made a face at him.

"Did you have a good Christmas?" Corey asked.

"It was okay," Danny shrugged. "Holidays have been always been tedious for me. But I did have fun going to Taylor's for dinner to meet his parents."

"Having fun? Meeting the parents?" Doug said with an almost horrified look on his face. "Are you two getting that serious?"

"Apparently not serious enough for Taylor to tell them who my uncle is," Danny ribbed him.

"Let them get to know you better first," Taylor advised with a grin. "So are you going to ask him or not?"

"Ask who what?" Corey asked.

"Have you heard anything about Harry going after the stone of Fal yet?" Danny said, showing him the _Daily Prophet._ Corey gazed at the headline that read; _Stone of Legend Recovered by Legendary Auror. _

According to an eyewitness reporter, the Lia Fal; also known as the Stone of Destiny; was recovered by Harry Potter from an undisclosed location. The stone was then verified as legitimate by Professor Dumbledore of Hogwarts and was then moved for safety reasons.

"I should have known Ron would have gotten it in the paper right off the bat," Corey grinned. "He went with him, you know."

"Where, exactly? Do you know?" Danny asked.

"Sure, Harry came and saw Dad right afterwards, I was in the lab helping him with some stuff," Corey said, glancing around. "Come on, let's sit up here so no one can hear us, I'm pretty sure they wouldn't want this spread around," Corey explained, heading up into the stands. They then settled in some seats near the top, Corey stopping to glance at something in his pocket before he turned back to them. "All right, you know Aunt Anna's Aunt Viviane, right? The tall woman all the ghosts were bowing to at Halloween?"

"Yeah, the one I said was acting suspicious," Taylor nodded.

"Well, it seems she's a few generations removed. Like several hundred," Corey said in an excited whisper. "She's not just Viviane, she's the one and only Viviane. That's why all the ghosts and paintings act goofy around her, that's why she pretty much comes and goes as she likes and all that. She is the Lady of the Lake."

"You are putting us on," Doug said incredulously.

"Well, if you don't believe that, you sure aren't gonna believe where they went to get the Stone then," Corey grinned at him. "Because apparently she hid it in the Crystal Cave itself, and Harry and Ron had to go in and get it."

"But that's impossible! I mean, I thought when you went into that cave you never came out again," Taylor said.

"You never come out again unchanged," Corey corrected, looking ominous. "They wouldn't talk about what it was that happened in there in front of me, I got shooed out of the room. But whatever it was, I think they were changed somehow, they both looked almost, well, haunted."

"I wonder what happened in there," Danny said thoughtfully.

"Maybe I'll ask Mom. Sometimes if I can't get a straight answer from Dad I have better luck with her," Corey grinned. "The important thing now is that all four parts have been found, so maybe they can fix all the odd stuff that's been happening lately."

"Maybe that's why all the spells stopped failing," Taylor said brightly. "Maybe just having them together is helping things."

"But the spells stopped going haywire about the same time we went on holiday, this article says they found the stone on Boxing Day," Danny pointed out. "Maybe it's not a matter of something fixing it so much as something is actively causing it, and whatever is actively causing it stopped."

"But what? What could cause something on such a scale?" Essie asked. Corey looked thoughtful.

"I don't know, but I know who to ask," he said at last. "The problem is finding an opportunity."

* * *

But Corey realized that opportunity wasn't going to come right away. Before long they were gathering their books and brooms and heading back to school. Corey became preoccupied again with catching up with the other classmates and planning Quidditch and sparring strategies and everything else that had to do with school life that didn't involve schoolwork. Essie, however, had spent an unusual amount of time over the holidays studying and was quite ready to get down to business.

But as prepared as she was, she couldn't be more unprepared when she and Angela walked into the Potion Lab and found Professor Snape sitting at the desk, huddled over some papers. He squinted at some of the notes with a scowl and shook his head, ignoring the incoming students completely.

"Is something wrong? Is Professor Craw alright?" Essie asked concernedly.

"Doctor Sagittari has recommended that she stays away from harsh chemicals for awhile so I'll be taking over here for the rest of the term," Snape said, not even looking up. "She in turn will be teaching Defense. Now stop gawking at me and take your seat."

Essie slowly sat down, trying to figure out whether this unexpected change was good or bad. Neither class was anything she was particularly good at, but she had survived Potions up until that point on Craw's patience, and the idea of losing that wasn't particularly comforting.

"Talked her into sitting up front in this class as well, did you?" he suddenly asked in a low voice, and Essie looked up to see his eyes fixed on her. She grinned sheepishly, not really having an answer for that, but it was obvious he didn't expect one as he stood and looked over the class.

"As you can see there's been a slight change to the schedule this year, however I have detailed information on your class coverage and individual progress, and I also have a working knowledge of whose had trouble keeping up and who hasn't," Snape said. Essie blushed slightly, even though he hadn't looked in her direction. "For the most part, I will be following Craw's agenda. But there are some areas in this field that I am particularly knowledgeable about that she isn't, and it was agreed that I would also be instructing you on some of these areas as well. And first and foremost and for the benefit of my own sanity and not yours I am going to be teaching you about lab and potion organization. I want everyone who has a kit to get it out and open it, then remove all hands and fingers from the tables until I give you leave to do so," he said, a warning tone in his voice. Essie saw her cringe reflected on the faces of many of the other students as they opened their kits. This was not going to go well.

* * *

After a hurried dinner, Corey, Taylor, Danny, and Doug ran up the back stairs and into the classroom where Bedivere O'Laren's painting hung. Corey had often wondered why he was in there, for he would have thought that the quiet room would get boring after awhile with only a single book painted in his hand to keep him company. But today, Caprica was there as if expecting them, greeting them with a warm wave and smile when they entered.

"Did you hear? About the Stone of Fal?" Corey asked immediately. Bedivere looked up from his book with interest.

"Of course, Corey, dear," she chuckled. "How could I have missed it, what with all the fuss it caused."

"Great deeds often bring great scrutiny," Bedivere acknowledged with a nod. "From both friend and foe."

"Yes, but don't worry," Caprica said with a smile. "Dumbledore is a wise man, and he found a safe place for it, safer even than Hogwarts."

"There's somewhere safer than Hogwarts?" Danny asked.

"Yes, at least for right now," Caprica said, her thoughtful look almost sad for a moment. "But what's important is that despite those impish efforts of others, all of the artifacts are now safe and sound."

"Whiskers!" The others turned around as Doug suddenly scooped up the small mouse in his hand, petting it gently. "There you are! I was afraid you were gone forever!"

"Are you sure that's even the same mouse?" Taylor asked.

"Of course it's the same mouse!" Doug glared at him. "See how he looks at me? I think he missed me."

"Ah yes, there is no such thing as too small a friend, for even the smallest of stature can make a difference in a friend's life," Bedivere smiled.

"And even the greatest of men are nothing without them," Caprica added. "Speaking of which, I wonder where Icarus is?"

"I believe he went to the library, or perhaps he heard that Dumbledore is expecting Viviane," Bedivere said.

"Lady Viviane's here?" Corey said with interest. "I wonder if I can get to talk to her."

"Why in the world would you want to talk to her, Corey?" Caprica asked curiously.

"Well, we were wondering about the Crystal Cave, you know, about what happens to regular people there," Corey said.

"It is not something she is likely to speak of," Bedivere told him with a gentle smile and a shake of the head. "In fact, I doubt anyone who witnesses the cave for themselves would be willing to speak of it. It is quite a private matter, you know."

"In what way?" Danny asked.

"The crystal in that cave has strange powers. It can show those who look in it deep in themselves…their desires, their fears, the future, the past, their innermost truths and their innermost lies," Caprica explained solemnly.

"Innermost lies?" Taylor asked. "We have those?"

"Without them we'd have no sense of reality," Bedivere explained calmly. But that made Corey even more confused. "In the caves, reality itself could be said to be questioned, for those that look in the crystal are faced with all that and more, and often can not tell the difference between them. One cannot expect to look at what lies beneath one's own skin and not be changed forever."

"I wonder if the Mirror of Erised was made from crystal from there," Danny said thoughtfully.

"The Mirror of Erised? What's that?" Doug asked.

"It's a mirror that used to be in this school years ago that used to show people's desires, the one the Philosopher's Stone was hidden in," Danny explained. "But the Mirror was stolen and destroyed several years ago."

"Yep, I know who destroyed it too," Corey said cheerfully.

"I'd think that anything made out of crystal from there would be awful dangerous. I'd be afraid of it using my own weaknesses and fears being turned against me," Taylor said.

"Why did Viviane allow the mirror to be made at all, then?" Corey asked.

"I'm sure she had her reasons at the time," Caprica said unknowingly. "That woman never does anything without a reason, and not all of them are what we would consider 'good.'"

"Morality has always been relative," Bedivere agreed. "What is wrong to one person may not be seen as wrong to another."

"You mean like what Thomas Craw did? Or even Icarus?" Corey asked. Caprica looked thoughtful.

"Actually, I'd put the two of them in a different category altogether, Corey. They both knew what they were doing was wrong, but they saw no other way to right certain things they felt partially responsible for. They condemned themselves in hopes that others wouldn't follow the same fate," Caprica explained.

"And that's wrong?" Corey asked.

"I think you need to decide that for yourself," Caprica said with a gentle smile.

It was nearly curfew before they went back to their rooms. As was customary, they had headed to the corridor leading to Ravenclaw first, chatting about what they learned as well as planning meetings between classes the next day.

Suddenly, a frightened wail rang out. Without a second thought, the four ran towards the scream to see what was the matter. Dame Rachel had collapsed and was sobbing loudly near the door to the common rooms. The door opened and several alarmed Ravenclaws looked out.

"What is it, what's wrong?" Carmody Stewart asked.

"He's gone! Something terrible has happened!" She wailed. "Please, someone has to help him!" She begged frantically.

"Who's gone, Dame Rachel?" Taylor asked, wishing he could take her hand to calm her.

"Icarus! Something has happened to Icarus! Please save him!" she wailed. Corey wasted no time, diving back down the hall as everyone else yelled after him.

"He probably went to get Craw and Snape," Danny said.

"There's no time for that!" Rachel said frantically.

"What happened Rachel? Where was he?" Taylor asked.

"He was on his way to see Dumbledore. He said he had to talk to him about something important, and then I heard him cry out, and he just wasn't here anymore," Rachel sobbed.

"All right, Ravenclaws, everyone back inside, now, I'll take care of this," said a voice behind them. Taylor looked down to see Professor Flitwick hurrying over to them. "Settle down now. Miss Nelson, Mr. Brim, to your own house rooms now please," Flitwick said. The two of them turned around and began to walk away, glancing back every now and then to see Flitwick softly trying to talk to her. Just then, Whiskers leapt to the floor, scurrying off.

"There he goes again. Wonder where he runs off to?" Doug said.

"I'm more worried about old Ick right now," Danny said. "And where was Janus? I hope he's alright."

"Well, it's not like you can hurt a ghost," Doug pointed out.

"No, but you can banish them," Danny said.

"But who would want to banish Icarus?" Doug wondered.

"I don't know," Danny said grimly. "But why do I get the feeling that whoever it was is the same person who wanted Professor Craw out of the way?"


	25. Adversaries

Chapter Twenty-Five

Adversaries

Jennifer and Severus were in the Defense office when Corey had found them, and by the time they had got down the stairs to the lower dungeons, Dumbledore, Francis and Minerva had already gathered in the Memoritorium. Corey had never been there before but had always known it was there; a large, complex set of rooms cut off from the main school that housed the remains of the ghosts living within. Dumbledore had gone straight to a particular crypt and opened it, a strange red glow emanating within it and softly fading.

"It is as I feared… it was not a simple banishment. Someone had his remains scattered. We cannot possibly bring him back until what was taken is recovered," Dumbledore said.

"Janus as well?" Jennifer asked softly. Dumbledore carefully opened another crypt, looking thoughtful.

"Everything is intact here; my guess would be whoever did this thing only wanted him out of the way so not to stop them from harming Icarus. In fact," Dumbledore said thoughtfully. "I don't believe Janus was exorcised at all."

"He may be in a ghost box somewhere," Francis said. "Or a specially prepared phial."

"Like the traps we put Peeves in?" Minerva said with a nod. "He can't be far then, those don't work outside of the place ghosts are bound to. That means he's still in the castle."

"Pyther, why don't you search the towers and upper levels, Jennifer can take the middle floors, and Corey and I will search down here. If we find Janus, perhaps he'll know who put him in there," Severus said.

"Shouldn't Corey be in his rooms by now?" Minerva said, suddenly realizing the boy was there.

"It's quite alright, take him with you, Severus," Dumbledore said, turning back to the work at hand. Minerva gazed curiously at the headmaster as the others left, wondering his reasoning for that. "You realize, I'm sure, that whoever did this must have a great deal of access to the school to have gotten in here."

"But that would mean it would have to be someone currently on staff," Minerva said, Dumbledore nodding slightly. "What are we going to do, Albus?"

"I suppose we need to ask ourselves who we trust," Dumbledore said quietly, "and in the meantime, I believe I am about to spend an extraordinary amount of time with a certain map and mirror in the school's possession."

Corey wasn't exactly sure what to look for as they began to scour through the rooms, and although he knew that wasn't why he was invited along, he made a valiant attempt at helping look for anything suspicious.

"You don't think Aunt Viviane had anything to do with this, do you?" Corey asked after the third room, earning a look of complete surprise from Severus. "Caprica had told me Icarus was wanting to speak to her and that's why he hadn't come to visit after dinner."

"Are you still talking to that painting? I thought you finally grew out of that," Severus scowled at him.

"Viviane was always talking to Icarus, but like some kind of rival or something," Corey continued. "Maybe she wanted him out of the way. She seems to come and go here as much as she likes."

"If Viviane wanted to get rid of Icarus, she would have already done it by now," Severus said. "Nor would she have needed to enter the Memoritorium to do it."

"But who does that leave then? I mean, I don't think an Imp could pull off a spell that complicated. Students don't have access down there. The only people who could have done it then are regular staff, huh?" Corey said. Severus paused and gazed at him for a moment, then turned towards the door. Corey hurriedly caught up, wondering where they were going.

* * *

It hadn't taken Francis Pyther long to gather up the ghosts and speak to the paintings.

"It didn't happen in any rooms there are paintings currently in, or we would have told someone by now," the Fat Lady insisted.

"Well, that at least narrows down the rooms it could have been in," Pyther said, glancing at the ghosts that had gathered. "Spread out and see if you can find Janus."

"But what about Icarus?" Bedivere asked.

"There's really not much we can do at the moment until Dumbledore finds out more," Pyther admitted softly.

"I should have never encouraged them to bring him back here," Caprica said, aggrieved. Bedivere patted her shoulder gently.

"There, there, he's not gone for good. There's only so much one can do to a self-condemned spirit such as Icarus. He'll be back."

"Artisan Pyther! I believe Peeves found something," the Baron said as he appeared through the ceiling. "Follow me," he added and disappeared above. Pyther quickly took to the stairs as the host of ghosts followed the Baron's lead and Pyther soon found himself climbing up into the belfry. It was there that Pyther saw the tiniest potion bottle he had ever seen dangling on a chain from the clapper of the Hogwarts bell. There could be no mistaken what it had been used for. Peeves was mercilessly teasing the bottle, taunting it with his constant humming, delighted to no end that someone else besides him had been stowed away for a change.

"I'm going to ring the bell, I am I am I am," Peeves sung as the clapper waved erratically, coming dangerously close to the sides of the bell.

"You do and you'll wish you were still alive," the Baron growled at him, floating towards him menacingly.

"Bottle, bottle, throw it in the lake so someone can get a surprise message," Peeves laughed. The Baron launched himself towards the annoying spook and Peeves disappeared, the Baron following after him. But Pyther was more concerned with getting the bottle down than Peeve's antics, carefully casting a spell to untie the knot in the necklace and float it over to him.

"Now, perhaps we'll find out who did this," Pyther said, inspecting the bottle.

"I think the answer to that is becoming more obvious by the minute," a voice said from behind him. Pyther turned to see Severus standing there pointing his wand at him threateningly. Corey stood right behind him, looking at the vampire curiously.

"You don't mean to imply that I had something to do with this?" Pyther said in complete surprise.

"You did find the bottle with unusual haste, and the bottle did come from a divination shop that is right across the street from your own," Severus pointed out. "Whoever did this also had to have been someone who had access to the Memoritorium, which is a place you frequent more than most."

"Only when I get caught working too late," Pyther protested. "You know as well as I that I needed a place to go in emergencies."

"And you also have a very extensive knowledge of working with ghosts. Tell me, Pyther, what exactly was it that Icarus knew that you found to be such a threat?" Severus asked evenly.

"I would never harm any ghost, no matter what they knew!" Pyther said, trying hard not to stutter. "I trust them, and they trust me, which is more than I can say about any of you living folk. I'll prove it to you. I'm sure Janus will tell you I had nothing to do with it!"

"Give me that bottle," Severus snapped, afraid that perhaps it wasn't Janus in the bottle after all. As he reached for the necklace, Pyther took a step back to try to keep it from him and the two of them began to struggle over it, Pyther holding the bottle end and Severus grabbing firm hold of the other end of the chain. Suddenly it snapped, launching Pyther backward into the hole beneath the bell. He quickly turned into bat form, the bottle flying off the chain and tumbling down after him. But Corey had been expecting something like this and thrust out his hand, casting out the Levitation spell at the bottle and holding it suspended in mid air, leaning cautiously over the edge as the bottle slowly came back up and he was able to grab it.

Just then, Peeves, who had managed to somehow slip the Baron, began ringing the bell loudly and Corey and Severus were forced to cover their ears, Pyther flying out the window just to get away from the painful sound.

A bright light flashed around the bell and the resonating stopped even though Corey could still see the clapper trying to make it ring. It was then he looked up and saw Dumbledore and took his offered hand to get back on his feet. Severus stood as well, shaking his head vigorously to try and clear the ringing from his ears. Peeves laughed all the more and began to sing:

"_Ding dong dell! Janus in the well!_

_Who pulled him out? Corey did no doubt!_

_Who put him in? Little Sevvykins!"_

_What a naughty boy was that to try to hurt poor Janus and the bat!"_

"Pyther's up here?" Dumbledore asked.

"Out the window when the bell started ringing," Corey said, rubbing this ears still, holding out the bottle to the Professor.

"We should go after him. It was Pyther who did this, I should have guessed it all along," Severus said.

"Oh, come now, Severus, I hardly think it was Pyther," Dumbledore said, looking over the bottle.

"It was! It was! It was!" Peeve began to chant helpfully. "Pyther did it! You should jump out the window after him!"

"That'll do, Peeves," Minerva said sternly, getting out her wand.

"Headmaster, we know now whoever is doing this must be someone in the school, and therefore someone in our trust is an enemy. It would be unwise to trust anyone at this point," Severus said.

"In which case, I couldn't very well trust your advice, could I?" Dumbledore pointed out with a twinkle in his eyes, and Severus grimaced. Dumbledore turned his attention back to the bottle again, and after fiddling with it a moment it popped open and then shattered. A gale of phantom wind filled the air, announcing the presence of Janus Craw who materialized in front of him.

"Death! Death to the fool witch or wizard who dared imprison me!" Janus boomed menacingly. "I demand an explanation at once!"

"Would that we had one, we would give one to you," Dumbledore said gently. "Do you have any idea at all the identity of your attacker?"

"I was in the library and was on my way to meet Icarus, who had been hoping to get in on your meeting with the Lady, Professor. As I left, I felt a sudden pull and found myself here, looking through that damned bottle hanging by the clapper. Next thing I know, I was inside it and Peeves…" he said, glancing up at the grinning spirit. "Peeves and I are going to have a little talk," he finished with a very unpleasant smile. It was then that Peeves decided he was bored of the entire situation and faded away to torment someone else. "Where's Icarus?"

"I'm afraid, Janus, that Icarus has been temporarily dispersed by someone…"

"Dispersed? What do you mean dispersed?" Janus demanded, fear appearing in his angered expression.

"Some fragments of bone were taken from his remains. I'm sorry, Janus, but until we find out who has done this, we are as helpless as you are," Dumbledore said.

"A Craw is never helpless," Janus said indignantly, ignoring the look that Dumbledore gave him over his glasses. "I would have gotten out in time," he added gruffly. "We're not helpless as long as we're willing to do something, and I'll be damned if I let anyone get away with dispersing one of the wisest men I've ever met."

"Perhaps we should start by rounding up the others then, including Pyther," Dumbledore said.

"Professor…"

"Innocent until proven guilty, Severus," Dumbledore reminded him, and not for the first time. "Surely you of all people understand the value of that. I seriously doubt Pyther would have any reason to harm Icarus, or Jennifer for that matter."

"I rather doubt he'd have the nerve," Minerva couldn't help but add.

"Neither did Quirrell," Severus pointed out, nudging Corey ahead of him before following them down the stairs.

* * *

It had been Jennifer who had glanced to look outside and noticed Viviane standing impatiently at the gate. She quickly waved away Jennifer's attempts at telling her what was going on as she strode through the castle, going straight to the Trophy Room without so much as a glance in any other direction. Wondering how Viviane knew the castle so well, Jennifer quickly followed behind. Viviane entered the room and immediately turned to look up at Caprica Dusthorn's painting. It had been empty when they had entered, but it wasn't long before a very solemn looking Headmaster appeared in the frame.

"It seems you have a problem," Viviane said curtly to Caprica. "And I do not think whoever did this acted from their own accord. It would take more power than anyone alone in this castle to relieve Icarus from his appointed task and punishment."

"Dumbledore could have," Caprica said evenly.

"And would not have," Viviane said, waving it away. "For whatever reason he's decided to trust the insane fool over me. Well, he'll have no choice but to listen to me now, and you would do well to do the same, Caprica."

"This all has something to do with the gate, doesn't it? And differing prophesies linked to it," Jennifer said, watching Caprica carefully. Viviane turned to Jennifer with a frown, suddenly remembering she was there.

"You aren't supposed to be able to read any truth from paintings, they're only interpretations," Viviane squinted at her accusingly.

"I know. I'm not supposed to be able to read ghosts either, but I always have been able to," Jennifer said, "And some paintings are linked closer to their subject matter than others. If I'm following this right and from what Severus has told me, Icarus saw a vision of something…something about the opening of the gate that doesn't correspond with the prophesies you were handed down by Merlin, and the two of you have been working on trying to bring about your own interpretations about all these years. And everything you two have been doing, including Icarus' attempt to stop Voldemort from even being born, is directly connected to what's going on now?"

"Before Merlin left, he had set certain things in motion to…'aid' in developments towards the future," Viviane said, nodding expressionlessly. "I," she continued, sounding none too pleased, "was left behind to make sure nothing went amiss, looking after not only his descendants but my own; those descended from Queen Morrigan of the Faerie and Queen Maeve of the witchkind, as well as the lines of Dagda and Mac Lir, forever linked with my own. It is they, not the Sentinels as Icarus has seen, who will be present to open the gate," Viviane said with a nod. "Merlin himself foresaw it, and no prophet after him is going to convince me that the Sentinels, who aren't even all descended from Merlin," she added, looking down at Jennifer with a thin, confident smile, "could possibly handle what might happen when that gate is opened. And considering all the sabotage attempts inside and outside of this castle, I'd say it's quite obvious that I am not the only one who believes it."

"I, for one, am not among them," said a voice from behind them. Viviane didn't even bother to turn around, shaking her head slightly.

"Considering you yourself are a Sentinel, Albus, I hardly find that surprising," Viviane said.

"If Merlin did in fact have a plan in mind for the opening of the gate and perhaps even his own return, it would have included the protections that he himself put in place to insure the balance of the four magics," Dumbledore continued as he stepped into the room, followed closely behind by Severus. "Be that as it may, since we are speaking of something that happened when the world was quite a different place indeed, I do not believe that any vision from such a long time ago can be viewed without some consideration to the progress that mankind has made since then, not to mention mankind's right to free will."

"Free will? There is no such thing," Viviane laughed lightly. "It's merely a concept that mortals have given to themselves to make them feel less powerless. We are all destined for certain things, I merely work to make sure everyone moves in the right direction."

"In what way?" Jennifer asked.

"A 'chance' meeting here, an accident there, whatever it takes to encourage those who stray from their paths back onto them," Viviane said calmly.

"In other words, you manipulate the situation and take their free will completely away from them," Jennifer said, viewing her with sudden dislike. "Serving your own needs at the expense of others."

"My dear Jennifer, we all stub other people's toes as we walk through this world, your mere existence here probably affects many more people that you realize. One cannot exist without making a footprint, albeit small in some cases," Viviane said with a slight nod. "If our mere existence happens to trample other existences in the process you can hardly place the blame on the living. Morality is nothing but a social convention; the game is always the same…those left standing at the end are the victors, regardless of how they got there."

"Some of us would be inclined to disagree somewhat with that, Viviane," Dumbledore said. "The victor, after all, still must live with the conditions of his victory. But if you don't mind, I'm more concerned about Icarus. I don't suppose you have anything helpful to add to who might have done this?"

"Only this," Viviane said, looking at him steadily. "Icarus didn't see this coming." Keeping her gaze on him as she walked to the door, Viviane solemnly headed down the hall towards the stairs.

"Yes, that was very helpful," Jennifer sighed, glancing at Dumbledore. But Dumbledore only looked thoughtful.

It was quite late now, and after getting they weren't going to get much farther that night, Dumbledore suggested they all retire to their rooms. A sobbing could be heard from the lower floors as Jennifer and Severus walked up the stairs, and Jennifer got a glimpse of Dame Rachel floating towards the library, weeping miserably.

"Poor Rachel," Jennifer sighed softly. "She really did see him as her own son."

"At least now we have some idea why this is happening," Severus mused as they got to the top of the stairs, walking ahead a bit to open the door for her.

"We do?" Jennifer asked curiously.

"Yes, in the fact that Icarus didn't see it coming," Severus explained. "I believe what she was trying to tell us was that whoever is doing this is attempting to stop these ancient prophesies from happening, and is succeeding to some extent."

"Honestly, I'm not sure I believe in such things as prophesies anymore. It seems to me that all they are just some sort of elaborate setup to get everyone to do what you want them to do. What right does she think she has to continually mess with other people's lives like that?" Jennifer asked, sliding onto the couch with a sigh and frowning at the stack of unopened letters piling up on the table in front of her.

"What right did you have to help interfere in Anna's?" Severus asked, and Jennifer grimaced slightly. "What right did I have to do half the things I have done, or Dumbledore, to make sure things turned out right? And how many times have we 'interfered' in students lives, to do what is best for them?"

"That's different," Jennifer protested. "We're their teachers, after all. We're supposed to interfere."

"Perhaps in a way that is how she feels about us," Severus said, taking off his cloak and sitting down beside her. "After all, she has a few thousand years on us, we probably seem like disobedient students to her."

"I don't care who she thinks she is. The only person I want influencing my decisions is you. And, well, the children of course," Jennifer said, folding her arms stubbornly, then shrugging. "And Dumbledore, occasionally, and of course there's Vallid…"

"Well, as long as I am in that growing list somewhere, perhaps you wouldn't be too adverse to my helping influence your decision on what you want to be doing in the next few hours," Severus said with a sinister smile.

"Sleeping?" Jennifer said innocently.

"Only if you insist," Severus replied as he kissed her, knowing from her response that she wouldn't.


	26. Contemplations and Meditations

Chapter Twenty-Six

Contemplations and Meditations

Jennifer couldn't help but still feel a bit nervous standing with so many well-known wizards that had gathered for the full council; completely oblivious to their own respectful gazes in her own direction, assuming rather it was for Dumbledore standing beside her. A lot of the topics brought forth such as appointments and internal politics she really had no interest in, and it was just as well; she certainly had enough to worry about without trying to dabble into government politics. There was really only one discussion that was important…and that one, it seemed, had been tainted by a recent change events.

The proposal was to allow their world to become exposed if the protections failed any worse than they already had…could there be a more important discussion of the Council ever? It had been proposed and seconded under desperate conditions…conditions, it seemed, that no longer plagued them, for the ancient magic had seemed to stabilize over the last few weeks and no odd sightings or other mishaps had been reported since just before the Christmas holiday.

But still, the proposal was on the board and had to be voted on, and Jennifer was not surprised when the Council overwhelmingly voted against it, with only a few abstaining, including herself, and even fewer (actually only one, Carlotta Pinkstone, who raised up her hand and defiantly gazed around the room as if looking down on everyone who hadn't voted with her) voted for it. But she was slightly surprised when Dumbledore had voted against it. And it was an impatient wait for her to finally get out of the meeting hall and then through the after-council chatter and discussion before they finally port-keyed right to his office.

"You have a question on your mind, I take it?" he asked calmly the moment they entered, gesturing for her to sit in her favorite high backed chair on the opposite side of the desk, sitting in his own chair with a sigh and turning over a couple of tea cups. "You want to know why I voted the way I did."

"If anyone besides Pinkstone would have, I would have thought you would, or even Arthur, with all the work you've been doing to encourage interaction and all of that," Jennifer said. "Oh, I know that some of those that sustained and perhaps even some against it might have put up their hand a few months ago when they believed it would fall apart on its own. It wasn't like we had any choice in the matter at that point. But I thought you of all people wouldn't have."

"The very fact that some wizards might be willing to change their mind because the situation had improved was reason enough for me to vote against it," Dumbledore said with a sigh. "No, I could not possibly vote for this right now…to do so would have been voting for further isolating many of our kind not yet ready to accept it. They would be forced instead to go deeper into hiding, and not only hiding from the Muggles but those wizards who sided against them. True, in some ways, we have made progress in understanding each other in small and very controlled areas around the world, not the least of which being your own town," he said with a slight smile. "But we are a long way from truly accepting them as equals, both as individuals and as a society. I believe, if I'm not mistaken, that as why you decided to abstain?" Jennifer nodded quietly.

"I'd be lying to both of us if I told you I was ready…despite where I live, I know I'm not," Jennifer said quietly. "But at the same time, I didn't want to vote against them…I'd have felt, well, guilty somehow," Jennifer admitted.

"You come from a very long and distinguished line of purists, Jennifer, it's not surprising that you feel the way you do," Dumbledore said gently. "But learning tolerance and learning the true value of those unlike yourself are two entirely different things; you've come a long way on the first path, but I dare think you're only beginning on the other. But don't be so hard on yourself. I'm sure if you look in the mirror long enough," Dumbledore smiled knowingly, "I believe that someday you'll learn that lesson as well."

* * *

The next morning Jennifer woke up early, slipping out of bed and down to the Potion's office, going over her class notes for Defense as she grabbed herself a bowl of porridge and some coffee. But she found herself distracted, gazing at the Cauldron thoughtfully for a long time before finally getting up and searching through the neatly arranged bottles of ingredients, pulling a few off the shelves. It wasn't more than half an hour before the door quietly opened and Severus stepped in, looking slightly puzzled.

"What on earth are you brewing? I thought you had homework to catch up on? And why don't you have your gloves and mask on?"

"I'm experimenting, and yes I do but I got distracted, and I hate wearing that getup, it makes me feel like a criminal or something," Jennifer said, stirring the Cauldron as she sprinkled in a dark powder that caused a bitter smell to erupt in the room. "I was having trouble in previous experiments keeping any potions I made with the Cauldron stable, so I'm attempting to see if Gnomeknuckle will help. Pomona had her students growing several batches this year."

"You know that smell seems oddly familiar," Severus mused. "Now where else have I smelled that before?"

"Oh, come now, Severus, I'm sure you've smelled it dozens of times," Jennifer chuckled at him, pouring a dose of freshly made Itchy Balm into a bottle and labeling it.

"No, I meant recently," Severus said distantly. "The Imp…he had a similar smell to him."

"Yes, I remember that now," Jennifer said thoughtfully. "Well, it can't have been from a potion…I mean, it wouldn't have lasted so long," she said, pulling out her Encyclopedia of Herbology.

"Didn't Pomona take over our security shift on Halloween?" Severus said suddenly.

"Now, Severus," Jennifer chuckled at him. "Surely you don't suspect Pomona, she's one of the most dedicated teachers I've ever met!"

"Whoever is doing this may not be completely aware of what they're doing. No one in the castle is above suspicion," Severus said firmly.

"Shall we storm Dumbledore's office and demand a full account of his activities as well?" Jennifer asked.

"Now you know quite well I wasn't speaking of him," Severus scowled at her. "And might I remind you that whoever attempted to kill you the first time is likely to try it again if we don't catch them soon?"

"All right, Severus, all right," Jennifer said resignedly. "I was going to get with Pomona later about a new strain of Griffonlilies she's been helping me develop anyhow. I will poke about a bit and see if I notice anything suspicious at lunch today."

"Good, expect me to be in hearing range in case anything goes wrong," Severus said evenly.

"It's amazing that anyone can get away with anything at all in this school," Jennifer said tauntingly earning a slightly annoyed frown from her husband as she left.

It had felt quite strange to teach Defense again after so long…the memories of her first tumultuous week there were playing distantly inside her head every now and again when she entered the room, especially when teaching the seventh year class that was comprised of many of the same students that had been in the classroom when it had broken out into a fight on her first day. They were, of course, much more civil now, at least on the surface. But Jennifer couldn't miss the constant rivalry between Perry and Amadeus, in and out of the sparring ring. The momentum had changed to a more healthy competition on who was going to finish first, rather than who was going to destroy whose life the best, and so Jennifer had little trouble now keeping the classes attention.

The next class, however, seemed to be a never-ending trial. She constantly was catching Victor Greisley causing trouble whenever her back was turned, aiming quite a bit of it at the front table where Angela and Essie sat. It hadn't helped that he was second in the class, so that any time she barked on him to answer a question because he was in the middle of tormenting another student, he stood and answered quite glibly.

Angela, however, could best him at any practical test one on one; she had a special flare for Defense that Jennifer couldn't help but notice. And then there was Essie, who seemed to do poorly because she didn't like the subject, rather than any inability to do the work. But Jennifer knew that even the meekest student needed some defensive background, perhaps even more than most, so Essie found herself constantly being drilled for answers and spent a lot of time wondering how she managed to turn Jennifer against her.

"Tomorrow we're going to have a test on your knowledge of Sidhe, Alfar, and other Faerie species and the proper defenses against them. I'm going to warn you now, there will be five essay questions so if you don't study, you are going to rack up quite a number of deaths," Jennifer said sternly. "Then next week, we're going to be meeting at 8 o'clock at night rather than our normal time for a lecture on vampires, and after that we're going to take a break from creatures for awhile," Jennifer said with a slight smile. "Yes, well, I know you're not supposed to study any dark arts defenses until sixth year, but since I don't often get to teach this class, we're going to go off the books in all my classes, and I'm going to work with you on identifying cursed items, dark curses and counterspells. So be ready to embark on some serious material," she added solemnly. "I hope to show you that used properly, dark magic can also be a great defender against other sources of dark magic."

Essie left the class with a worried look on her face as she and Angela hurried down the hall.

"Wow, I can't believe we actually get to learn some dark spells! Too bad we're not allowed to use them in sparring," Angela chuckled. "I'd teach that old Greisley a lesson or two."

"Just the thought of learning such things makes me queasy," Essie said. "Do you realize that means everyone in the class, including Greisley, will be learning how to use spells that can, well, harm other people?"

"We already know spells that harm other people," Angela pointed out. "Cast the Petrification spell on someone swimming in a lake or the fumble spell on someone on a broom and see what happens."

"Angela, you're horrible! How can you think up such things?" Essie protested.

"What's your hurry, girls?" A voice called from behind them as Greisley moved to catch up.

"Does that answer your question?" Angela said. "Go away, Greisley, we're not going to be late again because of you."

"You know it's really not surprising that the one class you do well in is a total sham class, Willowby," Greisley said with a grin. "Are you going to sit in a tent and tell Muggle futures when you grow up?"

"If you don't leave us alone, Victor, I will foretell your future, and it won't be pretty," Angela warned him.

"Anyone can see that that old bat is full of it. She only predicts things she either knows is going to happen or makes it happen herself," Greisley continued. "Take my advice, if this class is the best you can do, you might as well give it up while you still have some dignity left." Losing her patience and her temper, Angela suddenly swung around, taking out her wand.

"_Carrotcomplexion!_" she intoned at him. Greisley was following much too close to even attempt to block. He suddenly screamed out in pain as he held his nose, his skin turning a yellowish orange as green sprouts suddenly sprang up from the end of it. Before he could recover, Angela grabbed Essie's arm and dragged her up the stairs to the North Tower, leaving him wailing in the hall.

"Oh, you've done it now, you're going to be in all sorts of trouble when he tells Madame Pomfrey how that happened!" Essie said between breaths as they took the stairs two at a time finally bursting into the Divination room with but a minute to spare.

"Nah, he won't tell on me," Angela said surely, sliding into her seat next to Essie. "If he does, I'm going to tell them about him turning me into a whale last week."

"Silence class! Please don't disturb the spiritual resonance of the room," came the voice of Madame Trelawney as she stepped in from behind one of the curtains. "Put away your books, you won't need them today. We are going to begin learning the meditation practices needed for true visions…to look beyond…" she said, gesturing upwards with her hands, "one must first explore within," she finished drawing her hand dramatically to her chest. Essie realized at that moment just how much she had been missing Icarus' presence in the classroom, missing the joking remarks and clever comebacks in the silence that followed. It just wasn't as fun anymore, Essie sighed as she lit her incense, and in a lot of ways she felt as if she had learned a lot more of the subject from him than from Trelawney herself.

"Now, it is very important to breathe deeply and evenly at first…come, come, everyone try," Trelawney insisted as she demonstrated. But Essie had trouble trying to breathe so deep when the acrid scent of the incense was tickling her nose and kept wishing she could open a window. She gazed thoughtfully at the red ring encircling the stick as it burned down and became focused on it, completely missing Trelawney's suggestion of concentrating on the ocean.

Essie felt as if she was floating above the classroom and watching from above, eerily noticing her own body sitting below her and gazing transfixed on the incense. Is this what it is like to be a ghost, she wondered? It was a very odd feeling indeed. Oh, but she was supposed to be concentrating on something, she remembered belatedly, and the image of Icarus Ravenclaw popped into her head. He was holding something, she realized…something round, perhaps a crystal ball? But then she was aware that someone had come to stand before her body below and was abruptly pulled back into herself, waking up with a start.

"And you, Miss Willowby? What inner thoughts disturb your meditations?" Trelawney asked casually, gazing at her. Essie gazed around the class, realizing that she had been going around the room for some time, and had the curious feeling that no one else in the class had experienced what she had. In fact, several of them even now were still trying to breathe, scrunching their eyes closed, while others were sneezing from the smoke in the room.

"I…I was thinking of Mad Ick," Essie admitted quietly. "I rather miss him." her serious eyes gentled a moment, a troubled look in her eyes as she nodded.

"Yes, it is a sad thing to happen to a spirit," Trelawney said quietly. "When a ghost travels the earth, there are reasons they cannot let go. For some, it is a deep anguish that must be appeased for them to ascend. For others, it is a punishment for their deeds, and they are condemned for all eternity so that they can try to atone for them. Ravenclaw, unfortunately, was the kind of spirit that cannot be banished completely; his tasks in death left undone. But I have looked long and far to see if he is ever to be brought forth to resume his task, but I cannot see it, nor have I been successful at finding enough resonance to bring him back," she said sadly. "I shall miss him too," she added, patting Essie's shoulder and heading over to the next student.

But something in Trelawney's speech nagged at her, and it didn't take her long to figure out what it was; he was of a kind that cannot be banished completely. If that was so, had Icarus Ravenclaw been trying to tell her something?

Essie could hardly wait until after class to tell Angela what she had experienced, earning an incredulous look from her.

"No, I didn't go through anything like that, and I'm not sure Trelawney even bought the fact that I was thinking of pumpkin cheesecake and raspberry jam," Angela said, hurrying even faster towards the Great Hall for dinner. "Sounds like what you experienced was the real thing. Gosh, Essie, you really have the Gift, don't you?"

"Oh, I don't know about that. I just…I'm not sure it was all me," Essie said. "What if it was Icarus trying to tell us something? Maybe we can find a way to bring him back!"

"Wait a minute, remember that bit at the first of the year when she told you you'd get in trouble for using a crystal ball beforehand? You should probably play it safe and wait," Angela advised.

"I'm not sure we can afford to wait," Essie said thoughtfully as the two of them worked to find a spot at the Hufflepuff table.

* * *

After dinner the two of them went to the library to study for the Defense test, hoping to pull out some books on Fae they hadn't covered just in case Craw decided to throw them out in the essay questions. As they pulled some books off the shelves and went to find a table, Angela nudged Essie to look over to the main desk where Craw had just arrived, speaking to Hermione.

"At least now she'll believe we studied," Angela said, sitting at the table.

"It doesn't really do that much good to study for the essay part," Essie sighed. "I'll die ten times before it's over."

"Does she know about, well, you know," Angela said, wiggling her nose slightly.

"I'm not sure. Probably, since I did have to tell Snape," Essie said. "And you know how she is about identifying people in Animagus form."

"Well, then, there's your answer. So long as you don't show anyone else your tests," Angela grinned. Essie looked at her blankly. "Just tell her what you'd really do if something came after you."

"I doubt she'll buy it," Essie said dubiously.

"All she has to judge is whether or not you survive, it doesn't matter how you get there," Angela said. "And she is a tad more lenient on those answers than Snape. Just be honest and think of what you'd really do, and not what you think what someone else would do, and I bet you do better."

"Maybe you're right," Essie said. "It's not like I can do any worse on those than I already do."

"That's for sure," Angela agreed, earning a gentle push from her friend.

"Hello, girls, studying hard?" Jennifer smiled as she walked past them, peering to see what books they'd pulled out. "Or just here to give Victor a run for his money tomorrow?"

"It's not like he's ever come close to beating my scores," Angela said proudly, "but I think it'd be nice if Essie passed him up for once and put him in his place."

"I'd love to see that myself," Jennifer winked with a grin. She heard her name called then, and wished them good luck, heading over to Hermione.

"Yes, here it is, just as I said before," Hermione said, tapping a magazine called _Wizard Publishing Today_. "'Excitement has been building lately over a new powder made from a mixture of talc, gypsum and Sleeping Willowroot that is claimed to have the same use as the more costly Gnomeknuckle in newspaper and magazine publishing. The powders, both produced by the Copy-Rite Company, aid in keeping written text from trying to arrange itself in magical volumes. Although some publishers, including this particular periodical have embraced the new version, which is not only less expensive but helps protect the continuing disappearance of Gnomeknuckle from the wild, there are other less environmentally conservative periodicals that have been less inclined to change, stating that they 'won't stake their reputations' on the new powder until further tests have been done.'" Hermione looked up with a nod. "The _Daily Prophet_ still uses Gnomeknuckle, so do several other of the companies around here. Ron always comes home smelling like that, they put it directly in the ink."

"So, these Imps might have been around somewhere that makes newspapers?"

"Or they picked it up somewhere in the wild, but really the article is right about that, it's rarer and rarer all the time, and there is so little room for Magical Species reserves in this part of Europe," Hermione sighed. Jennifer suddenly looked thoughtful.

"Thanks, Hermione," Jennifer said. "I think I'm going to go try and catch Anna before she leaves, the Ministry might find this interesting," she added with a wave.

"Good luck," Hermione said with a smile, and then hurried over to her desks where several students had gathered to sign books out.


	27. Discoveries and Other Disasters

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Discoveries and other Disasters

Excitement was in the air the next morning when Corey finally stumbled out of bed to find the usual hubbub that was around his table had taken a wild turn; everyone was instead crowding the Slytherin table. Staring in disbelief at his fellow housemates and the several Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws that were usually apart of his own gossip entourage, Corey couldn't help but go over to see what all the fuss was about.

Copies of that morning's _Daily Prophet_ were being passed back and forth, and Danny was grinning wildly as students at the ends of the table casts spells or inched further in to hear the commotion. Even Amadeus was nearby, his arms folded and looking rather nervous.

"Really, I had no idea until this morning, but I expect a letter about it any time," Danny told them. "Frankly, I don't even think Uncle Lucius knew, because I don't think he have been too happy about it."

"I'm sure he wouldn't have," said Perry with a nod. "I say, you don't think he'd disown Draco or anything?"

"For what, being a public hero?" Danny grinned. "He wouldn't dare." Impatiently Corey grabbed the paper out of Doug's hands, who protested until he saw who it was as Corey.

* * *

Imp Incidents Intercepted by Inside Informant; Order Connection Suspected.

The Ministry closed in today on an inside investigation on the popular Order of Equinox in attempt to link it to recent incidents of Imp mischief on two different continents, leading to one arrest. Brogan Tubbins, an executive publisher from Wizardday Publishing, was arrested on three accounts of public mischief, two accounts of misusing a magical creature to perpetrate a crime, one account of Muggle endangerment, and one account of misuse of a magical creature to terrorize Muggles. The arrest came after a lone informant from the Order of Equinox, Draco Malfoy, gave evidence to the Ministry about possible links from the Order to a series of thefts and attempted thefts of ancient artifacts. The Ministry states that other evidence had been given to them about the possible involvement of Tubbins, and that along with information supplied to them by the informant led to his arrest. Upon asking for a statement, Tubbins told the press that he was only acting "on the orders of the Chairman." The order issued this statement, "the only crime committed here is of those who misuse artifacts in the first place we (the order) are here to protect them from misuse, and acquisitions are made solely with public safety in mind." It should also be noted that the Chairman, Ludo Bagman, is already serving sentence in Azkaban for the murder of former Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge. Further investigations are pending to determine whether these incidents are also related to the attempted murder of Professor Jennifer Craw Snape of Hogwarts, and although no connection has been made to Tubbins, Auror Potter states that "we haven't ruled the possibility of Equinox involvement out as of yet." A special court proceeding is planned in April to determine whether or not the Order itself should be disbanded if criminal intent is established.

* * *

Draco Malfoy was working as an informant? Corey stared at the name puzzledly. Perhaps he did it as a save-his-own-rear tactic…yes, that had to be it, Corey reasoned to himself. There was no way Draco could possibly have done it out of his own good conscience, because he hadn't any.

"Odd how it doesn't mention anything at all about the incident with Snape's office," Julie Brim said.

"Well, I asked Snape about it once, and he seemed to think whoever did that was someone in the school, isn't that right, Corey?" Danny said, bringing Corey out of his thoughts.

"Yes, it sure seemed to be. All the roosters were from the pens here and the nearby farm too, whoever it was didn't go out of their way- "

"Do you think your cousin will tell you more about it in his next letter, Danny?" Aelfred asked her. Corey felt annoyed at being cut off, the students not even having looked at him when he had spoken.

"Oh, I'm sure so. If not, I can always ask," Danny continued.

Corey had lost interest in the topic, walking back to the table long enough to grab a roll off his plate, ignoring Doug's questioning look as he decided to head to his first class early.

Snape was already at the desk working when he got to the lab, not even bothering to look up when Corey slid into place in the back.

"What's wrong, Corey, someone else is in the spotlight for a change so you decided to get off the stage?" Snape asked evenly, ignoring the look Corey was giving him. "Don't worry. If anyone is going to tell you that you're only making an ass out of yourself by behaving exactly like Doug Brim was, it won't be me. And by the way, since you're here early, you might as well do something productive and fill the leech jars, we're making Pickled Plagiarism Potions today." Corey frowned at Snape with irritation before getting up and filling the jars, carefully making sure he didn't get any of the foul creatures on him as he put a jar on each table.

By the time he was done the rest of the class had drifted in, their loud chatter outside quieting at the sight of the professor as they entered, hurriedly taking their places. Snape stood up, scowling at them until they all had their books open to the right page.

"Before we begin, I'd like to inform those of you in Dabbler's that there's no class this afternoon, for I must head to the Ministry to add testimony about a piece of evidence they have against Tubbins. And for those of you who haven't yet arrived on the planet yet today and have no idea what I'm talking about, I'm sure Miss Nelson would be more than happy to enlighten you after class," Snape said with a slight smile in her direction. Danny beamed brightly. "It does not surprise me that one of my own former Slytherin students, Draco Malfoy, already a well recognized member of our society, has played a major part in recent political events, and I hope that he will be an inspiration to other Slytherin students."

Doug grimaced and looked over at Corey, who had resignedly leaned his head in his hand. It was going to be a very long week.

* * *

It wasn't until the end of the week that Essie had finally found time away from her homework to settle down with the Beginner's Crystal Ball that Corey had given her two Christmases before, carefully polishing it. She had never really had a chance to use it, although she had thought about it often. But now she had reason. Angela was there to help, reading out of the instruction manual and their divination book, making sure that everything was being done right. She handed Essie a scarf with a shrug.

"It's in the book," Angela explained, and the two girls grinned and put on the scarves.

"Okay, what's next?" Essie asked.

"We light the incense," Angela said, carefully doing so, "Then you need to concentrate on the crystal, meditating on your subject. It also says it helps to have something of his."

"Something of his?" Essie said thoughtfully. "Well, we'll have to do without. I doubt after a thousand years I am going to find anything that belongs to him." Angela nodded and watched as Essie attempted to relax, wondering if she would know if Essie went as far in a trance as last time. But Essie was unaware of Angela's scrutiny, concentrating instead on the crystal.

For some reason, it wasn't as easy as it was with the glow of the incense. The cloudy crystal didn't seem to anything at first; it was barely even reflecting the dim light in the room. Finally she noticed the cloudiness became denser and began to swirl and she was able to concentrate on it. As it began to glow, she was barely aware of Angela's voice in her ears, telling her to recite the rhyme.

"_Magic mystic crystal ball, within your depths show us all!_" Essie repeated, trying not to feel silly as she said it she concentrated on the very center until the cloudiness began to fade and a clear spot began to grow out from the middle, getting larger as the clouds spun around it. Essie squinted, waiting for something to happen, when suddenly something large and round appeared in the vision.

"Well, what do you see?" Angela asked impatiently. Essie stared at it, slightly puzzled.

"I see a crystal ball," Essie said.

"Well, of course you see a crystal ball. I meant, what do you see in it?" Angela coaxed.

"A crystal ball," Essie said again. "I see the image of a crystal ball in the crystal ball." Essie was trying quite hard to keep her concentration up, but the confusion had taken its toll and the crystal began to grow misty again until she could no longer see anything, sitting up and rubbing her eyes a bit from the strain. "How very odd."

"You know what I think?" Angela said. "I think that divination shop gypped your brother. I bet it's busted."

"Maybe, and maybe not. There's no way to tell for sure I suppose unless I try one I know that works," Essie said.

"And just how do you plan to do that?" Angela asked. Essie didn't answer, putting her crystal back in her trunk.

As the weather began to warm up at the beginning of March, lending to an early thaw, Jennifer couldn't help but be cheerful about the way things were going. Now that the Imp attacks had stopped and none of the curious magic failures had happened for months, Jennifer had plenty of time to relax and concentrate on work and her plans for the Gauntlet, as well as her pregnancy, which seemed now to be right on track nearing her sixth month. Of course, Sagittari still insisted on giving her a nonmagical concoction of juices, herbs and oils, which he insisted would help with her vitality. It was after she learned there were powdered oyster shells in the drink that she decided it was best not to ask what else was in it, pinching her nose shut and drinking it down every morning with a powerful urge to expel it back out again.

"Come now, I've seen you take potions that surely must taste twice as foul as this simple health drink," he would coax her.

"Nothing I've taken has tasted this foul," Jennifer insisted, saying each word slowly and distinctly to make sure he knew just how serious she was. Anna, on the other hand, had refused the drink altogether; and instead took something that looked to Jennifer like a hard sort of chalky candy which she swallowed whole with a glass of water.

"You really should try it," Anna insisted one morning as they sat in the staff room and Jennifer was looking dourly into her glass. Anna, now nearly eight months pregnant had grown rather large…definitely larger than Jennifer had ever gotten. But of course, Jennifer had never carried two, and she was quite glad of that fact, even if it would have saved them an extra year. "It only takes a second, and it has everything in it you have in that cup, you know. More of it, in fact," Anna added. "You'd probably be better off taking one."

"How could they possibly get all of that into that little pellet?" Jennifer asked dubiously, sipping her drink. Sure, it tasted bad, but she would trust Sagittari's formulas over Muggle medicine any day.

"Science," Anna said simply. "You know, you really should make an effort and try to understand some of it."

"Why?" Jennifer asked with a shrug. Anna gazed at her with a frown.

"Well, Dr. Linde has been learning a lot from you about magic, surely he's been telling you about some of the things he does."

"Sure! He tells me lots of things, like about x-rays and ultrasounds and stuff," Jennifer said. "Of course none of it measures up to what we do."

"That's it," Anna said, carefully standing up. "You have a conference after lunch, right?"

"Well, yeah, but Severus and I were going to work on some ideas for…."

"It can wait. I think I'm going to take you out for lunch today. Meet me at my office when you get out of class," Anna said, packing up her books and walking out. Jennifer looked at her curiously as she followed her out of the room.

"But what should I tell Severus?" Jennifer asked.

"Just tell him you're having lunch with me," Anna said.

Jennifer had never liked Muggle clothing, but she soon discovered she particularly felt no love whatsoever for 'maternity wear.' She refused to put it on completely until they stepped out of the Leaky Cauldron, wearing a temporary disguise until she slipped on the ungodly looking things in the lavatories at the Tube station, wondering exactly how she was talked into this when they arrived at South Kensington and walked up the street.

"If anyone sees me like this, I swear I am just going to crawl into a hole and never come out again," Jennifer proclaimed as they crossed the street.

"Oh, come on, Jennifer, it's not like I put you in a balloon dress. It's cute, stop worrying about it," Anna said with a sigh. "I wore it myself for the short time I was about your size," she said dryly.

"Where are we eating at again?" Jennifer asked, quite sure that everyone was staring at them. It hadn't occurred to her at all that two women walking down the street in their condition was bound to get looks on its own accord.

"Well, we don't really have time to sit down and eat if we're going to have time to look, so we'll just grab something at the Museum Café," Anna said. That was when Jennifer happened to look up at the building they were turning into.

"A science museum? We're going to a science museum for lunch?" Jennifer said dubiously.

"What's wrong, afraid you might learn something?" Anna said challengingly, heading in. Shrugging slightly, Jennifer followed her in. At least she knew she could get a Coca-Cola out of all of this.

At first Jennifer's reaction seemed encouraging to Anna; she gaped at everything in sight when they came in, sitting quietly and sipping on a soda while looking around with interest. But it wasn't too long before Anna got the impression that Jennifer was quite lost. Some of the things Anna thought were most interesting, like the early modern video recorders, only looked like scrap metal boxes to Jennifer, and all the computers looked like nothing but piles of junk littered around a plate of letters that didn't make sense.

"You know, if they're going to go to the trouble of making all this to print letters on screens with, you'd think they'd at least put the letters in alphabetical order," Jennifer stated, getting an annoyed look from Anna but a few grins from several of the others around them.

"Keyboards are made so that the letters you use the most are easier to get to," Anna said, getting another dubious look from the magic professor.

"And what about that thing over there?" Jennifer asked, pointing across to another keyboard like box.

"Oh, that's an Enigma," Anna said, walking closer. Jennifer nodded.

"It sure is," she agreed.

"No, no, that's just its name. It's a coding device they used to use for encoding secret messages," Anna explained.

"Not much of a secret now, is it?" Jennifer said, slightly amused. At least the medical exhibits Jennifer at least showed a slight interest in, gazing intently at the insides of the machines, completely baffled how any of them worked at all. But it was after seeing a model of DNA and attempting to explain that to her that she completely lost interest.

"It's too bad we're both expecting right now, or we could go on a simulator," Anna said, wondering after she said it if it would have been a good idea anyhow. But Jennifer was busy staring at a space capsule, reading the exhibit information.

"They went to the moon? In this?"

"Well, Apollo 11 was of course the first, landing in 1969. The first human beings on the moon," Anna said with a smile.

"That's what they think," Jennifer said snidely.

"That's it. Let's go home," Anna said.

"Already? But we got another hour," Jennifer protested. "And I still haven't figured out what the point of that non-moving photo in the stairwell is."

"You've been poking fun at every single exhibit since we walked in here," Anna said with irritation.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…well, except for maybe that clock they didn't even bother to put regular hands on but surely you can't blame me for that!" Jennifer chuckled.

"I give up," Anna said. But just then Jennifer noticed something that she did understand, suddenly alert as she looked past Anna. "What is it?"

The shadow of the creature disappeared behind one of the exhibits, and Jennifer became concerned, looking around at the unsuspecting Muggles around them.

"Looks like the museum somehow attracted a Grimlin," Jennifer explained. "Must be all this space and flight junk. All that stuff about that sunken boat probably doesn't help either."

"A gremlin?" Anna repeated skeptically.

"A _Grim_lin," Jennifer corrected. "A mad wizard by the name of Blithers created them in the nineteen tens…he instilled Grim blood in a group of especially crafty goblins to make them especially vicious and sent them to destroy German planes during World War I. Unfortunately, they went insane and started causing trouble on our planes and boats and things as well. They thrived so well at their jobs they become even more of a menace during the second war. The rest is history," Jennifer explained, edging closer to try to get a look at it while Anna stood blinking for a moment. "The museum probably doesn't even realize they have one."

"Perhaps we should leave it alone then?" Anna suggested.

"That depends on if it's seen us or not," Jennifer said carefully, stepping back over to Anna. "Because if there's one thing a Grimlin really hates-" Someone suddenly shouted out a warning as a tall model of a rocket lurched from its bolts and threatened to fall on the crowd. Jennifer hurriedly grabbed a hold of Anna and got the two of them out of the way as the model came crashing down, the rest of the crowd chattering excitedly as the museum personnel began to run over. "It's wizards and witches," Jennifer finished, gazing up to see a shadow move across the ceiling. "It's going to keep causing trouble if we stay here. Maybe you're right, maybe we should just leave and let the Ministry deal with it."

"No," Anna said, looking up in annoyance, trying to spot what it was that Jennifer was tracking. "It tries to hurt these babies, then it has to deal with me," she stated, turning towards the stairs.

"Here we go again," Jennifer said to herself, heading after her. "Anna, let's not do anything to upset the Muggles, okay?" she said, getting a freezing look in return. "Let's try to capture it."

"How can we capture it when we can't even see it?" Anna asked with irritation. "All I can see is its shadow."

"Well, be glad of that, that's part of its Grim traits," Jennifer said, gazing around cautiously. "I've heard that if you actually see a Grimlin it's a sure sign you're going down with the plane or ship, whichever you're on," Jennifer said, Anna pausing to stare at her. "Of course, I've never heard of them taking out a building, so we should be relatively safe," she added a bit more cheerfully.

"Mummy! Look at the glowing lady!" A little girl pointed at Anna as her mum dragged her away.

"Yes, Matilda dear, don't stare," her mum answered, pulling her further out of range.

"This is not a good time to be turning into a light bulb," Anna muttered to herself.

"I think it's because it's close," Jennifer said, uncuffing her wand from her sleeve as nonchalantly as she could. "That capsule thingy we saw, that's a vehicle, right?"

"Well, yes," Anna said.

"I think we might be able to contain it in there," Jennifer said in a low voice. "You try to get its attention and lead it over and I'll go set up the trap."

Anna was still wondering exactly how she was going to do that when she left, wandering around the area a bit until she finally caught a shadow with no apparent owner in the corner of her eye. Hurriedly she went over in that direction when suddenly every single exhibit she passed turned themselves on, plugged in or not, whistling beeping and spinning wildly as several of the museum's patrons cast a curious eye on her.

"Sorry! Guess I hit a switch, a bit clumsy right now," Anna explained quickly, catching the shadow heading out of the room.

"Why are you glowing like that?" A teenage boy in a school uniform asked, standing right beside her.

"I drank some plutonium and now I'm radioactive. Hope you have on some protective gear under those clothes, kid," Anna said, watching as the boy quickly sidled away as she hurried around the small tour group. They backed away from her as she waddled by, but she was only aware of the shadow tracking her from behind. "Closed exhibit" signs, tied together on ropes, had been dragged across the floor in her path, but oddly enough even they seemed to back out of her way as she came through.

Fairly sure the creature must be right behind her, Anna strode straight towards the capsule, its door open invitingly. At the last second, Anna quickly stepped to one side as the Grimlin tried to pull up, grabbing what turned out to be its arm. She saw it then; a hideous creature, furry and green, with a dog-like nose and green ears and glaring, beady black goblin eyes, and Anna couldn't help but think she hadn't seen anything quite that hideous in all her life. At a shout from Jennifer, Anna threw it inside and the door came slamming shut. The furious Grimlin pounded at the sides, shaking it violently while the sound of its banging around travelled through the museum.

"Quick, do something before the entire museum is over here, signs or no signs!" Anna hissed, holding her ears. But Jennifer was already on it, a spark in her eyes as she clamped chains around the capsule and then called out the minimize spell, shrinking it down to fist-size.

"Excellent," Jennifer said, pleased at how well that went, taking the capsule and putting it in her pocket. "Mission accomplished and not one Muggle upset. We are really getting good at this," she said, pulling back the exhibit ropes and waltzing out, stopping only when she saw Anna staring at her.

"What?"

"Jennifer, don't you think someone's going to notice an entire space capsule missing?" Anna said, following her down.

"Oh, don't worry, we can just drop it off at the Ministry and they'll return it after the museum closes tonight," Jennifer said.

"Don't forget to tell them to turn the cameras back on too," Anna suggested with a sigh. Jennifer stopped suddenly, looking puzzled.

"Cameras? What cameras?"

"The cameras in the exhibit room we caught the Grimlin in? You did…_do_ something to them, didn't you?" Anna said, realizing exactly how much she was expecting. Jennifer looked at her for a moment, and then grinned apologetically, not even having realized there were any sorts of cameras there.

"Um. Oops?" Jennifer said.

It was then they had to stop short, for the lobby was filled with excited tourists, security guards and local police who seemed to be blocking the entrance and not letting anyone in or out. Anna grabbed Jennifer and retreated to the nearest bathroom, checking to make sure it was empty.

"Oh sure, nobody noticed a thing," Anna said sarcastically. "Now what do we do?"

"Pray our husbands don't find out?" Jennifer suggested.

"Besides that!"

"Look, I know you can Disapparate, so why don't you head on back to the castle? I'll figure out how to get out and get to the nearest floo."

"You didn't bring your house key?"

"I seem to have left them in my other denim dress," Jennifer said dryly.

"Well forget it, I'm not leaving you. How about a disguise?"

"I can change the look of our clothes, but I can't hide our condition," Jennifer mused.

"Can you think of any reason a Muggle might wear robes?"

Anna suddenly grimaced.

"Do stupid ideas that just might work count?" she asked. Jennifer was ready to try anything, and with a quick flick of the wand the two women were donned in full habit, Jennifer pulling at the uncomfortable neck but otherwise looking quite pleased at the results, taking out her pocket mirror and deciding she would never have made a good nun.

"Not a bad disguise if I do say so myself," Jennifer said with a nod.

"Then why do you suddenly remind me of Hagrid?" Anna asked.

"Huh?"

"Never mind. Let's just go," Anna said impatiently.

"Agreed, I think the Grimlin is actually making a dent in that capsule," Jennifer said as the two of them headed back to the lobby.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, you will have to be searched to be allowed to leave," the officer said to the protest of the crowd. "Now, then, we will do this as quickly and efficiently as possible," he assured them. Jennifer felt a tug on her sleeve as Anna headed to the front in front of quite a number of people who stepped out of the way, Jennifer hurrying along beside her. It wasn't long before they had worked their way to the door, the officers standing there, smiling apologetically at them.

"Have you anything in your pockets then?"

"Only the small purse that I carry what little cash I require on me," Anna said, showing them her purse and wallet. "Whatever else I need the lord provides."

"And you, sister?"

"Um, well, I only have a small toy I bought here for my son-"

"Godson-" Anna quickly corrected.

"Yes, godson, of course," Jennifer chuckled nervously, showing them the tiny capsule, slightly shaking back and forth in her hand.

"You might want to remove the bat'ries when you get a chance else they might be dead before you give it to him," the officer smiled kindly, nodding for another officer to open the door. "Be careful getting back now."

"Bless you, officer, have a good day," Anna smiled primly, gliding out the door as Jennifer smiled wanly after them, putting the capsule back in her pocket and following her out, breathing a sigh of relief as they got back on the street.

"That was brilliant, Anna!" Jennifer said taking in a deep breath, "Positively brilliant! I thought we'd never get out of there in one piece."

"Sssh, Jennifer, we're not out of trouble yet," Anna said, as she tried to get her to pick up the pace, only to come to a dead stop a second later when she discovered how right she was.

"You can say that again," Sirius said, standing in front of them with his arms folded. Severus, standing by his side and looking just as irritated about having to wear Muggle clothes as he was to have to come after them in the middle of a school day, looked over their disguises and shook their head.

"I guess our prayers weren't answered," Jennifer muttered to Anna before reluctantly shuffling over to them.


	28. For the Love of Alicia

Chapter Twenty-Eight

For the Love of Alicia

It was quite a long time before Severus would let the whole incident go, using the word 'habit' in every single snide sentence he could think of, throwing in an occasional 'sister' for good measure. Okay, so perhaps he was a tad right that Jennifer should have been a little more careful considering the person responsible for what happened to her and Icarus had not been found yet. But when wasn't someone trying to kill her? And it wasn't as if she had had any idea where Anna had in mind when they were heading to lunch, and it wasn't her fault there was a Grimlin there, not that a Grimlin was really considered even all that dangerous of a creature.

Besides, Jennifer had really been glad to spend some time with Anna, even if they were the mismatched pair of the century. After all, they still both had Severus in common, and Jennifer had been eager to have someone in the same position as she was to talk to. Of course, even that was different for Anna; not only was she expecting two of them, but her magic had done things while she was pregnant that Jennifer's had never done; becoming stronger instead of weakening, and rather even becoming a bit of a nuisance.

Jennifer also had to reluctantly admit that Anna did have a bit of a point when it came to Jennifer's lack of knowledge of the Muggle world. There had been a time when Anna was just as clumsy in the magic world as Jennifer was in hers, but now she had become comfortable in both. Jennifer had not the motivation, desire, nor even any reason to do the same. What she didn't know was that over the course of a single event, that opinion was going to change dramatically.

It all began near the end of April, when a very expected visitor arrived. For once, Jennifer didn't mind dressing up in Muggle clothes, and neither did Severus, as the two of them, Anna, and Sirius went to meet Dr. Linde at the airport.

He had grey hair and a rather cheerful face; tired and unbelievably glad just to be able to step off the plane and get through customs, greeting them warmly. He was in his early sixties but not even considering retiring just yet, and was excited to attend the conference on new advances in medicine and even more interested in seeing a little of the world he had heard so much about from Jennifer. He hugged her and Anna warmly, shaking both of the wizard's hands cheerfully, and Sirius quickly offered to take his bags to Anna's car.

"It is good to see all of you! I see you're doing well!" he chuckled at the two girls merrily. "Goodness, Anna, should you even be on your feet? You must be due quite soon now."

"Two weeks, technically," Anna agreed. "This will be my last week at the school before I go on leave, and believe me at this point I'll be glad to get off my feet."

"Well, Doctor Sagittari says if you keep climbing those stairs you're likely to go sooner," Jennifer said mischievously.

"Why do you think I've been using the stairs lately," Anna told her, sticking out her tongue. Dr. Linde laughed good-naturedly.

"And you, Jennifer?"

"Oh, I'm not due until June. And I'm not sure exactly if I'll be happy for it to be over with or not. This is our last one," Jennifer said.

"Four is more than enough," Severus protested. "And I for one will be glad when it's over. Mood swings, bursts of temperament, tendency to take off on a whim…"

"Yes, and that's just him," Sirius said, earning a dirty look from Severus and another chuckle from the doctor.

The conference was to start on Monday, so as soon as he was settled at the Black Mansion and well rested, he was invited to a tour of Hogwarts and had even agreed to speak in Anna's early Muggle Studies class on her last day. Jennifer had expected him to be interested in the paintings, or perhaps just the nature of the classes themselves, but she still wasn't a bit surprised when the thing he most wanted to see was the hospital wing.

Madame Pomfrey was there to give them the tour, and Jennifer was quite surprised just how much he knew already, having absorbed every bit that Severus and she had told the Muggle doctor about potions and procedures. It was then he inquired about Sagittari, and Jennifer, knowing he probably had a class, offered to take the doctor down to his office. Jennifer had forgotten all about telling him he was a centaur, so it was quite an extra surprise indeed for the good doctor to see him standing tall over the class as they stood by the pens, learning the finer arts of taking care of flying horses. Jennifer's own Pegasi Ruby turned to her head to look at them and whinnied where she stood sleepily being rubbed down by a handful of students.

"Of course, most known breeds of pegasi are now domesticated, and Britain can contest to a high number of those, thanks to the Stoddard Withers Foundation. These two, however, were night bred in upper Norway, I believe?" the centaur said, glancing at Jennifer who nodded with a smile. "And brought here by our former groundskeeper. Now, for tomorrow, we will be looking at some crossbreeds, and begin talking about their effects on magical and nonmagical environments, so be sure to read chapter twenty-three before then," Sagittari smiled at them. "Very well! If you've completed your assigned chore for this lesson you may go. If you're not I'll be in my office, so just sign yourself out when you're done and I'll check and mark your scores later."

"I really need to have a course that makes my students clean up my classroom like that," Jennifer chuckled as the centaur came close, smiling at her.

"Well, with all the creatures I tend to look after over the course of the year, it is really the only way I can keep up with it and look after my numerous patients as well," Sagittari smiled.

"This is Doctor Sagittari, school groundskeeper and renowned centaur veterinarian, which includes humans," Jennifer explained. "And this is Doctor Jonathan Linde, of Pediatrics, which means a children's doctor, I believe?"

" I am honored to meet you, sir. Jennifer has mentioned you on occasion, of course," Sagittari smiled offering his hand.

"Yes, and she speaks highly of you as well, although I do believe there are some things she left out," Doctor Linde chuckled, shaking his hand.

"I'm a centaur, yes, although really, more a wizard than a centaur in a lot of ways," Sagittari smiled. "I don't suppose you'd like to see my office?"

"Oh, quite definitely," Linde said eagerly. It wasn't long after they entered that Jennifer got lost in some of the technical terms the two of them began discussing. Instead, she decided to raid the kitchen, peeking in the stew pot simmering over the stove and peering in the icebox to liberate the leftover baklava. It was over a half an hour later before Sagittari noticed she was gone, peering out to see her sitting on a stool at the table and making herself quite at home, even putting the kettle to boil.

"Well! It must be time for tea," Sagittari laughed, smiling warmly to Jennifer. "And here I am rattling on. Come now, let me heat that up for you, Jennifer. Please, have a seat, doctor, and experience the other passion in my life; Mediterranean cooking."

"If your knowledge of that is half as impressive as your herbal lore and diagnostics, I am quite sure you are a wonderful cook indeed," Doctor Linde said, sitting down.

"Not as impressive as yours, Doctor," Sagittari assured him, putting some cups on the table. "I must say your knowledge of internal science is amazing."

"Perhaps, but there is something to be said about not needing surgery at all," Linde smiled. "I only wish I could return the favor and give you a tour of our facilities, but I suppose er, considering…"

"Oh! But I have something that'll disguise what I am to those who don't know it, would that be of any help?" Sagittari suggested.

"Splendid! Let me make some queries with my colleagues at the conference, and we'll see about getting a tour of one of the hospitals nearby. Speaking of which, I still have some panel work to go over," Doctor Linde said, drinking down his tea and taking a quick bite. "No, don't bother getting up, Jennifer, just relax. I know my way back to Anna's office," he smiled.

"Please feel free to come back and see me again," Sagittari smiled.

"I'll send a note if I'm able to arrange something," Doctor Linde said, waving to them as Sagittari showed him out, closing the door behind him.

"That is quite a friend you have there. I can see why you've kept up such a long correspondence with him," Sagittari smiled at Jennifer cheerfully, taking the baklava out of the oven and setting it on the table.

"He's really interested in learning about magical medicine," Jennifer nodded. "But what I don't understand is why you're so interested in his? I mean, I've been in a Muggle hospital and, well, they don't seem to be anything but a bunch of machines and not much else, and you won't believe how long it takes them to even heal a broken arm."

"Jennifer, how long, exactly, have you been trying to duplicate the exact taste and carbonation of a Coca-Cola?" Sagittari asked with a slight smile.

"Well, about five years, actually," Jennifer said, slightly confused. "I got the burp quotient right once or twice I think, but I just can't seem to nail down the flavor…"

"But it's only a drink…it doesn't really do anything but act as a quick pep-up, and you have many more effective potions for that."

"Yes, but it's not that, exactly," Jennifer said. "I rather just like it."

"And if a member of the soda company actually came to you and offered a tour of the facilities and perhaps even gave you some insight to the formula, wouldn't you go?"

"Probably, but I don't see how this could be in any way like medicine," Jennifer said, not seeing where this was going.

"Jennifer, there are secrets to chemical mixtures and solutions that you cannot even begin to fathom that the Muggles have discovered, even the significance of a what they consider a 'simple' vitamin pill eludes you," Sagittari said gently. "And yes, perhaps much of what we do can be considered more effective, but I am certainly not so blind that I can't see that they also have areas that we probably haven't even begun to explore. If there are better ways out there to treat my patients, I want to know about it. There's no such thing as having too much knowledge, even if it seems to conflict with what we already know. I may not be able to use the exact methods they do any more than the good doctor could possibly use ours, but perhaps by exchanging knowledge, we can find answers to questions that we couldn't solve without it."

Jennifer thought about that quite a bit while they ate, trying not to feel hurt about being told there were potions she couldn't fathom. After all, she could learn it if she wanted to, she told herself. She had just never seen much point to it. Well, except for the soda, of course, which had to be the best thing invented since tea. What else could the Muggles really have to offer? Well, except for maybe the pill with water thing. Getting an idea, Jennifer quickly finished and headed to the lab, dutifully putting on her protective gear as she raided the office for supplies.

It was there Severus found her two hours later, stepping in the door with his hands on his hips and a puzzled expression on his face as he found her leaning over the table holding a tiny, minimized cloth tube with a sharp needle-like funnel tip in hand, poised over a row of Bertie Botts beans.

"Would it be too much to ask what on earth you are doing?" Severus said.

"Filling these beans with test phials of some potions I had on hand," Jennifer said calmly. Severus stared at her. "I want to see if I can get any of these that need only small dosages to work if they're in a candy form."

"You know, Jennifer, I really think you've been working too hard lately. Perhaps it's time you headed upstairs and found a book to read," Severus suggested with a sigh and began to pick up the lab.

"But think how useful this would be, Severus. For one thing, it gets quite heavy carrying all those phials around in our cloaks, and although I'm sure we can't do this to all of them, it'd definitely cut down the weight. It'd also be easier to get students to take the nastier tasting potions if we can put them in a gel form like this."

"And what's to stop someone from accidentally picking up one of these instead of regular candy when they want a snack?" Severus frowned at her.

"Correct labeling, I suppose."

"Something you are definitely not famous for," Severus chided her, picking up one of the beans. "And how do you tell what's in them?"

"Right now, I have them color coded…blue beans are Pepperup potion, Green is Erumpment, and so on. I suppose I'll have to figure out some other labeling down the line if this works."

"You should be busy helping me trying to track down Icarus' remains instead of experimenting with new gimmicks anyhow. Like him or not, he would know of exactly who attacked you that night."

"Even if his remains are still in the castle…if castle ghosts and Pyther can't find them, how can we? It's a big castle, Severus, and we're talking about tiny fragments of bone," Jennifer pointed out, filling another bean. "And despite what you may be thinking, I wouldn't mind having him back myself. Janus and the others, well they just haven't been the same without him, and poor Rachel hasn't stopped weeping in days…I've never seen her so upset," Jennifer sighed, looking up from her work. "Someone should try to talk to Sibyl too, she hasn't come out of her Tower since it happened."

"That isn't unusual, she hardly leaves it normally," Severus said. "But if you insist on someone talking to her, I will. I'll not have her putting ideas in your head again."

"You need not worry about that," Jennifer insisted, picking up another bean. "It seems to me that even the real Visionists seem to go well out of their way to make their own ideas of the future come true."

"So you've given up on the idea of fate altogether?" Severus asked, gazing at her thoughtfully. It didn't take much effort to read his thoughts at that moment.

"No, but I do think that fate probably changes depending on the decisions we make," Jennifer said with a smile, facing him. "Take us for instance. Would fate been as kind to us had we not made the choices we made to get where we are now? And if fate had been against us getting together, would you have fought it?"

"With all my heart and soul and every fibre of my being," Severus said seriously, his black eyes fixed on her own loving gaze.

"You're really the only true destiny I've ever wanted, Severus," Jennifer said lovingly.

"Then I suppose we must have made the right choices," Severus decided, leaning over to kiss her.

* * *

By the end of the week, Doctor Linde had been spending quite a bit of his spare time with Sagittari, on everything from tours to working hands-on in the hospital wing with him and Pomfrey, learning the basic concepts behind magical healing. Jennifer in turn had invited him down to the potion lab; getting tongue-tied trying to answer all of his questions about ingredients and their properties. He was also quite intrigued by Jennifer's new line of experiments with the beans, but she warned them she hadn't even begun to test them yet. It was as they began going over the basics of balance in simple potions that Jennifer began to get a wave of pain, grimacing noticeably as he looked at her with concern.

"Braxton-Hicks?" he asked.

"What?"

"Are you having a pre-term contraction?" he asked.

"Yes, actually," Jennifer admitted, as he helped her sit down. "Strange though, I've never had them quite that strong so soon before."

"It can happen," he smiled at her sympathetically. "Let me get you a glass of water."

Just then there was a knock on the door, and Jennifer looked up to see Minerva, smiling at them.

"Hello, I just got done talking to Severus, and he asked me to let you know that Anna has gone into labor. She's already at the doctor's office and he went to sit with Sirius, just in case you wanted to head over," she smiled.

"You're not going over?" Jennifer asked.

"Oh no, I'd rather watch from my office, it's much more interesting," Minerva said with a wink before heading back down the hall.

"How does she watch from her office?" Linde asked curiously.

"Oh, see there's this book…" Jennifer winced again, and the doctor glanced at the watch but then handed her the water. "Thank you. Anyhow, it writes down the names of magic children who will be asked to come to the school someday."

"Really? Well that is quite exciting," the doctor said. "And perhaps nerve wracking too, I'd suppose, for an expecting parent."

"Well, most parents, of course, don't find out until the child gets the letter before they enter secondary school, especially since the names can appear at any age before then," Jennifer explained, "But Minerva's been good about letting staff have a peek," she said, finally feeling good enough to stand up. But it wasn't long after starting again that another pain hit, and the doctor's face grew increasingly concerned as he glanced at his watch.

"Jennifer, those two after it were both regular, seven minutes apart," Linde said. "Perhaps you should go to the hospital wing, just to be safe."

"Honestly, that's not possible, I have two months left," Jennifer protested.

"All the same, we should probably make double sure it isn't anything," Linde smiled, taking her arm. It was halfway up to the medical wing when the next one hit that she began to truly accept that something was wrong.

It was Rolanda who came banging at the hut door a few minutes later, Severus opening it to see her unusually frantic.

"Where's Doctor Sagittari?"

"In with Anna, of course," Severus said, watching with surprise as Rolanda then banged on that door as well, Sagittari opening it a moment later.

"What is it? I'm rather busy…"

"It's Jennifer, she's gone into labor," Rolanda said, Severus' expression turning to alarm, fumbling for something in his pocket. "Pomfrey says the potions aren't stopping it, she needs you there as soon as you can."

Severus, taking out his watch and opening it suddenly turned as white as a sheet as he read it her needle under 'mortal peril' and dove out the door before Sagittari even had time to react, taking a deep breath.

"So this is what the stars meant," Sagittari muttered to himself. "Rolanda, please wait here with Sirius, I will send Poppy down as soon as I can. Anna still has a little while yet, so she should be here in plenty of time," he told her, closing the door a moment to speak with them a moment before coming back out, galloping out the door as well.

"Boy I'm glad I'm not a doctor right now," Rolanda said, getting up only when Sirius asked for a cup of ice.

Back in the castle, Jennifer was anything but calm, knowing it wasn't right, knowing it wasn't time. And yet, so it was…a strange conflict resting inside of her that she didn't understand, fear pouring through her even when the warmth of Severus' hand began to grasp her own.

"Everything will be all right, Jennifer, try to relax," she heard Sagittari say. What was he doing here? Wasn't he supposed to be with Anna? Another round of pain hit her, and she was far from happy. None of the potions for pain or to stop the contractions seemed to be working at all. Her mind was spinning, and she couldn't make up her mind if she just wanted it to stop or she wanted it over with. But this time, she had no choice in the matter, none at all. It wasn't supposed to be like this.

Just outside, Doctor Linde and Professor Dumbledore took turns pacing the floor, torn in many ways between what was happening there and what was happening just yards away in Sagittari's office. But Anna had been healthy and fairly on time, and the two of them both stopped expectantly when Minerva came into the room with a slight smile.

"Well, we can welcome two new prospective students into the world; Zoë and Zacchius Black."

"Such classic names for such tiny babes, but I daresay they'll grow into them," Linde said with a smile.

"Yes, I dare think so," Dumbledore agreed, pausing when he heard the soft cry of a baby. It wasn't long before the door opened and Sagittari looked out searchingly, and Linde quickly headed in, Dumbledore not far behind.

Severus' face was solemn and worried, and trying desperately not to be and knowing he could hardly hide it from Jennifer, who was tiredly holding his hand, looking as if she could fall asleep at any moment. But she was so tiny! And so curiously blue, even after Sagittari had gotten her to breathe on her own. It didn't take a healer's license to tell that the baby wasn't doing well. Had they gone through all this trouble to try to save her only to lose her again? Severus gazed over at Jennifer again, only to see her eyes gazing at him with indefinable sadness.

"I couldn't stop it," she said quietly, but Severus quickly kissed her forehead, cutting off anything else she might have said.

"You are far from blame here, Jennifer. And you need to rest," he coaxed her. "Leave the worrying to me for a change. Especially since I'm going to do it anyhow." He gazed up to see Sagittari and Linde hovering over the baby, Linde growing increasingly worried.

"Do you have anything like an incubator?" Linde asked.

"I'm not quite sure what you mean," Sagittari replied in a low voice. "There really aren't any spells to help her…in fact, I've never had any witch reject the potion to keep them full term before. We don't have premature children," Sagittari explained.

"We do. Quite a number of them, actually," Linde said grimly. "And without medical attention this child has a fifty-fifty chance, if that. She needs to be on a respirator. That's a machine that gives her oxygen. In fact, if I would make a recommendation, I think this child needs to be in a hospital. One of ours," he added, looking over at Severus who had come over to join them the moment Jennifer had drifted off.

"Do you have any idea what you're asking?" Severus asked in a low voice, gazing over at Jennifer.

"Probably about the same as someone asking me to take my child to a witch doctor," Linde said. "But what's important now is what's best for the baby, no matter what the method."

"I agree with Doctor Linde, Severus," Sagittari said. "I cannot do anything for Alicia here except to hope she's strong enough to make it. If Doctor Linde has better treatment, I really suggest you consider it. Jennifer will understand," he added. Severus sighed in annoyance. Why was he always the one to have to make these decisions? Finally he nodded.

"Alright, we're going to need some sort of official paperwork, many hospitals won't take newborns without their mothers without special circumstances," Linde explained.

"I'll contact the Ministry and have someone meet you there," Dumbledore offered. "And I'll go check in on Anna while I'm at it."

"Severus, you had better come along if you have something you can wear…" Severus nodded, gazing at Jennifer one last time before slipping out of the room.

"Good luck, doctor," Sagittari said to Linde as he bundled little Alicia up. "And thank you."

"Anything for this little angel," Linde said, picking up the tiny baby, waiting only long enough for Severus to reappear before heading down the stairs. Dumbledore then stepped out and to his office long enough to send out the note, pausing on his way out to glance inside the book. The name he was looking for wasn't there.


	29. Air, Water, Fire and Earth

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Air, Water, Fire and Earth

It was Albus Dumbledore who was there when Jennifer woke up late the next day, smiling warmly and reassuringly at her as she pulled herself awake, sitting up a bit.

"Where's Alicia?" Jennifer asked at once, glancing around for a crib that wasn't there.

"It's alright, she is safe," Dumbledore assured her gently. "Severus is with her, and your friend Doctor Linde, and even Sagittari. She couldn't be in better company, unless of course, I visited her myself," he winked. "How are you feeling, Professor?"

"I'm all right, but that doesn't matter," Jennifer said, but took the pain reliever potion Dumbledore handed her anyhow. "She's not in the castle, is she?"

"No, Professor," Dumbledore sighed, seeing that she was going to insist. "You see…well, I suppose I should start with what caused you to go into labor in the first place. It appears that when Anna took on the responsibility of carrying Alicia when you were ill, a bond was formed…between Alicia and her own twins, and to some smaller but still significant amount between Anna and yourself. When it was time for the twins to be born, Alicia, it seems, got it into her head that it was time to be born too. And no amount of magic potions we gave you could possibly stop something that laid beneath the foundation of magic itself…the bond between differing souls. So, despite all of our efforts, Alicia won out, and she was born before her true time…something that hasn't happened to wizard born in several centuries, since the potion to stop those sorts of things were developed. Of course, the downside to that was also that we wizards have developed no medicine that could help support a child born too early, because there was no need. Aging potions wouldn't work; it would leave her underdeveloped all her life, and anything else was not made with any intention of working on a child so small. But fortunately, your friend Doctor Linde was here, and suggested instead that she be sent to a Muggle hospital, where they have quite a bit of experience dealing with this sort of thing."

"A Muggle hospital?" Jennifer said paling, Dumbledore taking her hand and patting it.

"Sagittari supported the move, and Severus gave his permission, knowing he had to do what was best for your daughter. But I promise you they haven't left her side, and from the post I just received from Severus she seems to be stabilizing."

"Stabilizing?"

"Yes, Professor. I dare say Doctor Linde probably saved her life," Dumbledore smiled. "Now there's no need to worry, she really is in the best place for her right now, although she will probably be there for quite some time." Jennifer grew quiet for a moment, trying to digest that information.

"How is Anna?"

"Anna and her twins are doing quite well… surprisingly well, according to Sagittari and Poppy, for having two of them. In fact, Poppy is helping them get settled at the mansion now, and I believe Ginny and Harry are going to stay on there for a few days and keep an eye on things. And you, Professor, should just rest and take care of yourself."

"Professor?" Jennifer said with a sigh.

"Yes Professor?" Dumbledore smiled.

"Could you please stop calling me Professor?" Jennifer asked. Dumbledore smiled even wider, a mischievous glint in his eye.

"Are you finally going to stop calling me Professor, Professor?" he asked.

"You are making this difficult," Jennifer muttered.

"I know," Dumbledore said with amusement. "You know, I can be your boss and your friend."

"Well yes, but it's not like you're just anybody, you're Albus –" Dumbledore quickly put up his hand, not letting her finish the last name, looking at her through his glasses.

"There now, Jennifer, was that so hard as all that?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes, s-" she stopped as his hand came up threateningly in front of her mouth. "Albus," she said quietly. Dumbledore beamed at her. "This is going to take some getting used to."

"Well, you can still call me whatever you like in public, of course. But personally, I am quite relieved it is over. I was getting rather tired of reminding myself to not to call you Jennifer," Dumbledore smiled. He paused and looked up then and there was a knock on the door that Jennifer recognized at once as Dumbledore got up and let Severus in. "Goodness, Severus, I hope you are planning to get some sleep soon," he couldn't help but comment as he came in, and Jennifer had to agree that he seemed quite exhausted.

"Presently," Severus said, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

"How is she?" Jennifer asked.

"It is still early to tell, Linde estimates she'll be there for a few weeks," Severus said.

"A few weeks?" Jennifer repeated, her heart sinking. "Why must Muggle medicine always take so long?"

"But time truly is what she needs, Jennifer," Dumbledore said, "It is, after all, at the heart of the trouble."

"I won't even hardly know her," Jennifer sighed.

"You will know her," Severus said evenly with a nod. "In fact, I think in many ways she takes after your side of the family than mine. She is obviously going to do whatever it is she wants despite everyone's attempts to tell her otherwise." Jennifer smiled at him and shook her head.

"Well, I suppose I should be off; I need to speak with Minerva about what to try to do about the class schedules with all of this."

"No reason to reschedule any of mine, I'll be back to work on Monday," Severus said.

"Professor…Albus, I mean, if it's all the same to you, I would like to finish out the year still, as soon as Sagittari gives me leave," Jennifer said, Severus looking around with surprise. "Especially since it seems Alicia is going to be in the hospital for a while." Dumbledore, who wasn't a bit surprised, smiled warmly at her.

"Do not hesitate to tell me if you change your mind, Jennifer. I'm sure we can work it out…after all, it's but this last time… it _is_ the last time for the two of you, isn't it?" he added mischievously as the other two nodded their heads rather fervently.

"Most definitely," Jennifer agreed. "I don't want to go through this again."

"I couldn't agree more," Severus added. Dumbledore nodded and smiled at them, heading out of the room, taking a slight detour to check the book again.

* * *

Corey was busy passing around pictures of his niece and nephew the next day to those sitting around him, nodding to their question.

"Yes, it's true, I heard it straight from Snape itself, she's coming back to finish out the year, and he's coming back today. And Craw's friend Doctor Linde has extended his visit to make sure my little sister gets all the attention she needs. I don't think Madame Black's coming back this year, though, Madame Granger is going to take over for her classes."

"I am going to miss Madame Black, but Madame Granger is a good teacher too," Perry said with a nod. "Especially for Muggle Studies, although I've heard her say her interest is really in charms more than anything."

"At least she's not as much into essays," Corey snorted. "Makes me almost regret not taking Muggle Studies again this year."

"So how do you feel about this last game, Corey?" Angela asked from where she and Essie sat near Doug.

"I think we're going to skunk your team, no offense," Corey said, earning a grin from the rest of his teammates.

"Although, they really do have a better Seeker," Kate had to admit. "Your sister seems to manage a lot more tighter turns than I do."

"All in the wrist, really," Doug told her, "You really have just as much talent, I think you just probably need to practice some tighter maneuvers. See, where we live, we have this gully where we have to fly at, because there's Muggles nearby and it's the only safe place to practice, so we've had to develop some sharp moves to keep from bouncing against the sides all the time. I can show you what I mean Saturday at practice if you want," he offered.

"That'd be really nice, thanks," Kate smiled at him. Corey rolled his eyes and leaned over to Taylor.

"Well, there's one more for the scoreboard," Corey whispered.

"Essie, are you alright?" Taylor asked her when she suddenly looked crestfallen, poking at her food.

"Sure, just thinking about a test I have coming up," Essie said suddenly, getting up.

"Anything I can help you with?" Corey asked, looking over at her thoughtfully.

"Oh, no, it's Divination. I should probably go study."

"Yes, me too," Angela agreed, waving to the others as she followed Essie out. But Essie couldn't hide what she was really feeling from Angela, who shook her head and sighed heavily.

"Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later, Essie. He's been trying to go out with her for years."

"It had always been some consolation that the only girl he really liked wouldn't have anything to do with him," Essie sighed. "What chance do I have now?"

"Same as before. None," Angela said. "And playing pet hasn't done anything but make you more attached to him. When are you going to tell him the truth?"

"Tell him the truth, are you crazy?" Essie said, her eyes wide. "He'd never forgive me! Corey would never forgive me! I'd have to run away and…and turn into a gypsy or something. At least then I wouldn't have to face that embarrassment." Angela chuckled.

"You know I think all this extra studying about crystal balls you've been doing is going to your head. Turn into a gypsy?" Angela teased her.

"Well I'm not telling him about the Whiskers thing. I'm just…I'm just going to stop coming around when he starts looking for his familiar again."

"I've heard you say that before," Angela said, shaking her head. "Give it up, Essie, this relationship just isn't healthy. Why don't you go out with Aelfred, he likes you."

"Aelfred?" Essie said, making a face. "Besides, I really do have more important things to do than think about boys."

"There are more important things than boys?" Angela asked, stunned.

"Look. Trelawney said that there was going to be 'something terrible' at this week's game, right?" Essie said.

"Well, yes, but…"

"Well every time she predicts something like that, she always comes out of the Tower to try and stop it, just like she did at Halloween," Essie said. "So, instead of going to the game, I think I'm going to go up and see if I can get better results off of her crystal ball."

Angela stared at her.

"Are you nuts? Do you know what'll happen if you get caught?" Angela said.

"The only staff besides Dumbledore that knows what I can turn into is Uncle Severus and Aunt Jennifer. I'll be perfectly safe in mouse form," Essie said.

"You can't be in mouse form and use the crystal though," Angela pointed out.

"Don't worry, I'll be careful. Hopefully it'll be a nice long game so I can really have time to concentrate." Essie said.

"Alright, but you know this is the first time Hufflepuff has been in second place in the standings in forever, and I'd hate for you to have to lose it for us."

"There are more important things than the House Cup too, you know," Essie sighed.

"Yes," Angela nodded. "Boys."

* * *

By the next Sunday, Jennifer was up and about, spending most of her time at the hospital and working on her class notes for the upcoming week. She was torn about missing the last game of the season, but Severus had decided to stay so she could go visit their youngest. Severus' morning was spent in the lab, mixing up an unusually potent and foul concoction. Sirius, red eyed and quite exhausted, had made his way down to talk to him…in fact, he had made quite an annoying habit of bugging him over the last week, in pretense to ask how Jennifer and Alicia were doing but mostly to ask a ton of questions about parenting that he, oddly enough, expected Severus to be an expert about by now.

"She's very annoyingly overprotective about them, and she won't let anyone but me and Ginny go near them. I for one just wish I could get some sleep. I don't suppose there's anything to give them so they'll sleep through the night…"

"You'll just have to suffer through it like the rest of us did," Severus said evenly, although rather amused by the thought of it as he added another phial of acrid smelling liquid to the potion.

"Yes, but you didn't have two at once. The moment we get one to sleep, the other one wakes up. I'm telling you it's a nightmare."

"Well, you can always put one of them up for adoption."

"Oh, you're a real card. Ha-ha, I'm laughing," Sirius said sarcastically.

"You're the one who took the potion, after all, you have no one but yourself to blame for the results," Severus said, pouring himself a chalice of the foul brew, swirling it around slightly, causing another waft of the nauseous smell to permeate the room.

"Gah, what in the world is that?" Sirius asked with a grimace.

"A sort of permanent Oat's Bane, to insure that the number of children with the name of Snape stays at four…for someone who at one time would have recoiled of the thought of even one," Severus said thoughtfully, twirling the handle slightly before nodding to Sirius and drinking it. "Care for a cup?" he added expressionlessly.

"Er…no, despite my current frustration, I think I'd better talk to Anna before doing something that drastic."

"Wise decision," Severus said with an almost imperceptible smile as he took another long drink. "Going to the game?"

"Only if I can curl up under the stands and take a nap," Sirius yawned, getting up.

"If you think you can sleep through that racket," Severus said.

"I can sleep through anything, except maybe Anna kicking me the side and telling me it's my turn to get up," Sirius grumbled, following him out of the room.

Corey felt he was in good form with his new broom in one hand and trusty bat in the other, exchanging open grins with the rest of his teammates as they waited at the Quidditch gate. Doug offered his bat to cross for good luck and nodded to him with a smile as he did, turning his attention back to the opening gate as the cheering crowd greeted them. It was warm and sunny, a beautiful day in the beginning of May, and a perfect day for Quidditch. Of course, every day was a perfect day for Quidditch in Corey's mind. The Hufflepuff team looked to be in good spirits as well, even wishing the other team good luck as they took their position where Alvin stood below with the Quaffle in hand, waiting for them to settle down before releasing the balls. Immediately Doug and Corey split up to get good positions across from one another, knowing their work would be easy today; for although the other team had the better Seeker, there was no better Beater than Doug and Corey, and the Hufflepuff's team had weak Beaters. They did have to keep on eye on Aelfred, for like his brother, Aelfred was turning out to be a devil on the pitch; Chasers had always been strong on the Hufflepuff team. Perry, playing Keeper, was well aware of that, and was even more alert than ever, completely in his 'zone,' and it wasn't long before Gryffindor began to rack up points in their favor.

Clouds began to gather overhead, easing the sunlight and making it a great deal easier to see the Bludger as it barreled towards Corey, who smacked it into the field of Chasers heading for the rings. This would be a good time for the Snitch, Corey thought, especially with them being ahead 60 to 30.

But then, a curious chill went through him as the sunlight dimmed even more, and Corey found his eyes drawn from the game to look up at the sky. It was then that he realized that it wasn't a cloud covering the sun after all; rather it seemed like a flock of something, and as he stared mesmerized towards it, he realized that several of his fellow teammates had turned to do the same, watching as the 'cloud' grew nearer. Not one word of his Defense book had ever left him, but even as he looked at what was drawing near, part of him wanted not to believe it, turning his head desperately towards the stands where his Dad stood, squinting at them.

Just then, several things took place at once. As Alvin blew the horn, and motioned the teams down, teachers began to clamber up to the highest part of the stands, taking their wands out, while Minerva quickly taking over the intercom from Taylor as the canopies over the boxes suddenly began to retract.

"This game has been suspended! All students please enter the castle and head to your dormitories as quickly and as orderly as possible!" Minerva ordered. That was when Corey knew without a doubt what they were; the Sluaghs… evil undead fae who often worked to steal the dead or dying for their ranks. But what were they doing here? And in the middle of the day? As Corey landed he began to look for his friends, and soon Danny and Taylor managed to work their way down and meet them behind the stands as a crowd of students hurried by.

"There can be no doubt now that the gate is weakening, maybe even gone altogether," Corey said from where he stood. "I bet I know what they're after. I bet they're after the Lia Fal. It says in the books that Sluagh are sometimes attracted by ancient runes and relics."

"I thought you said the stone wasn't in the castle anymore," Danny said.

"It's not, but it is nearby. All the professors are going to be busy here, someone needs to go ahead and look after the stone just in case any get through."

"Corey, I hope you're not saying what I think you're saying," Taylor said.

"It's near Hogsmeade," Corey continued, ignoring Taylor's protest. "Come on, I know how we can get there quickly without anyone seeing us," he said, running inside, the others right behind him. A moment later, a large black dog came out from under the stand and dashed to get off the grounds to Disapparate, determined to beat them there.

In the stands above, Severus, Dumbledore and several other teachers stood to look over at the approaching fae.

"We need to stop them before they get to the grounds, if they descend on us we'll have a nasty fight on our hands," Severus said.

"Yes, but they're still out of range to try anything yet," Alvin pointed out, taking out his wand.

"We should call the dragons," Minerva suggested.

"We would be putting our familiars in great danger, unlike the snakes these are intelligent, casting, flying beings, we may lose more than we gain," Dumbledore said.

"Not if we find a way to ground them first," Severus said. "I think I know a spell from the Tome that might work for that," he said, taking out his wand.

"A spell from the Tome?" Minerva repeated in surprise, "But I thought you destroyed that!"

"I had Corey read it from cover to cover first and store his perfect memory of it in his Pensieve, which he then gave to me for safe keeping," Severus explained quickly. "Really, Minerva, you should know me better than to think I'd destroy something like that without preserving it in some way."

"This is not the time for that, Severus, if you have an idea I suggest you do so as they are closing in," Dumbledore said.

"Do you need us to add our power as well?" Minerva asked.

"No," Severus said calmly, "Not for this sort of spell," he said, taking out his wand and standing on the highest bench in the box, his face suddenly taking on a dark and very disturbing appearance. He began to recite something that Minerva found she could understand…the foundations of a language long forgotten over hundreds and hundreds of years, each syllable harsh and emphasized in an almost threatening tone.

Clouds began to form before everyone's eyes, white at first then growing denser and grayer as the land underneath began to take on a dry appearance. Even the lake slowly began to lower as moisture was pulled into the clouds, and the Sluaghs began to turn and look at the clouds in surprise, their boney, hideous features now somewhat discernable in the distance as they scanned the skies. One of them with blood red feathers tucked behind its large pointed ears turned to find out the cause, shrieking loudly as it spied the wizards, trying to call the others to charge them. Dumbledore was quick to react, a series of silvery nets shooting out of his wand and over at the leaders, their wings quickly tangled in the meshes as the others finally came about to attack.

Just then, the clouds opened up in a downpour that seemed more like a dam bursting; the steady stream pushing the Sluaghs downwards as they began to lose lift under the pressure of the torrential rain. Sheets of sleet soon followed, and the furious beasts took to the ground and attempted to climb out from beneath the clouds, but the clouds followed their movements, making it difficult for them to escape.

It was then that Dumbledore, Minerva and several other teachers turned their attention to the Owlery, casting the sync spell before letting out a burst of colors that arched over the castle like a rainbow as it hit its target and one by one the owls emerged, growing large and larger until a flight of dragons appeared overhead, encircling the clouds.

The Sluaghs had little time to recover from their plight when the clouds finally began to dissipate, only to find themselves surrounded by menacing firebreathers, determined to keep the evil beasts contained. The unseelie fae backed closely together, that they began dispelling any of the dragon/owls that came too close.

"There is really only one way to stop a group of restless spirits, Elven or otherwise," Dumbledore said, lifting up his wand. Suddenly the soaked ground beneath the Sluagh began to shift, and all around them in a circle the earth came up around them as it collapsed underneath, the walls of dirt then tumbling down over them, burying them in a thick layer of mud until it formed a mound at the edge of the lake. Silence fell, the rest of the professors gaping over Dumbledore's handy work as rocks from the lake settled perfectly around it like a cairn as he finished the spell.

"That spell wasn't in the book," Severus broke the silence, giving Dumbledore an almost accusing look as Dumbledore smiled tiredly.

"You are not the only one to have picked up a forgotten trick or two, Severus," Dumbledore said. "And you've seen me cast it once before, to save a stranded hero and heroine from a certain Tomb. But now, we must hurry. Those Sluagh are most assuredly after a part of the Seal to prevent us from fixing the gate, and I'd rather make certain they were not merely a diversion."


	30. Stone and Crystal

Chapter Thirty

Stone and Crystal

Corey popped out of the basement of Honeydukes and out towards the front, buying a token amount of candy out of guilt as well as hunger before the four of them ran out into the streets of Hogsmeade and down towards the forest edge.

"Of course, I should have thought of that before…Keki's Grove in some ways is safer than Hogwarts," Danny said as the three of them headed towards the gardens.

"Well, hopefully it'll stay that way, but better safe than sorry. They may be able to approach the garden from above it," Corey explained, "although I'm not sure they'd be able to really lift this thing out," he said, heading to the very center of the Grove. There under the beautiful pink and white spring blossoms of the trees lay the Stone of Destiny in the center of the path, and Corey couldn't help but think that it seemed to belong there. A soft, mournful sound was in the air as the wind floated through the trees, and Doug shook his head curiously from side to side, wondering what was causing it.

"Do you think that any evil Fae could really get in here?" Taylor asked, "It feels as peaceful as ever, like nothing could ever touch the place."

"Why is the stone weeping?" Danny wondered thoughtfully. The four of them got closer then, looking it over.

"Now that is very weird," Doug said, shaking his head.

"But I still don't get the impression anything is wrong," Danny said.

"I do," Taylor stammered, and Corey looked over to see his pale face.

"What, Taylor?" Corey asked, but all Taylor did was point. That was when the four of them saw the wolf…or was it? It wasn't a werewolf; the moon was wrong for that. But something in its red eyes told them right off that it wasn't altogether a wolf either, yet enough of one, it seemed, that it could travel through the grove unharmed, masquerading as one of its denizens.

Before they could so much as draw their wands, it pounced. Suddenly a large dog charged it from the side, knocking it to the ground, and the two of them immediately broke into a ferocious fight. Chills went down Corey's spine as if he'd seen something like this before, raising up his hand as if to cast a spell.

"Sirius!" Danny shouted in realization, pulling out her wand.

"Don't! You might hit the wrong one!" Doug advised.

"Watch out! It's changing!" Doug warned, and so it was. The creature reformed into a large black tiger, twice the dog's size.

"It's a pooka! But an evil one!" Corey realized.

"Pooka means 'evil,' you know that don't you?"

"This is no time for a magic lesson, Taylor!" Doug yelled at him, bringing out his wand. "_Glamora!_" Brilliant stars and sparks like firecrackers burst in front of the two fight animals eyes, momentarily blinding the tiger enough that it let go, shaking his head.

"Grab my hands!" Danny shouted and the others did as they were told, joining forces as Danny announced the spell. They didn't cast it at first; apparently waiting for something Corey wasn't sure quite what. And just before he couldn't stand the wait any longer, the Pooka made the move Danny was waiting for and attempted to change shape, and Corey found himself acting in time with the others, concentrating on the target as a burst of grey light came from his hand and their wands hitting the Pooka dead on as the Living Stone spell swept around it. It turned into strange statue of a tiger with horns and hoofed feet, making it difficult to tell just exactly what the Pooka was changing into.

"Uncle Sirius!" Corey said, running over to side. He was covered in bites and scratches, and as he changed to his other form his clothes were tattered and torn. "Are you okay?"

"I've been better," Sirius said dryly, allowing Corey to help him up, leaning on the Stone to steady himself. But the moment he touched the stone a brilliant sound came out of it…a loud, melodic high-pitched voice that sang out even after Sirius took his hand away, staring at it in complete bewilderment. Just then, they heard footsteps from behind them as Anna ran up and over to Sirius, followed by Dumbledore and Severus.

"Sirius! What happened? You're bleeding! The twins started glowing, but I couldn't seem to get to you in here," Anna said with frustration, her poking at his wounds only making him wince in protest.

"Whoever's causing that dreadful noise with that stone step away from it," Severus said suspiciously.

"Apparently that would be me," Sirius said sheepishly, moving Anna slightly to the side so he could move away from it.

"Are you descended from Arthur or something too?" Corey asked excitedly.

"Might I inquire exactly what the four of your are doing here when you were told to go directly to your rooms?" Severus asked, his eyes flashing.

"We were bagging a Pooka, sir," Corey said, nodding to the statue.

"It's my fault, Severus, I think they followed me here afraid that I would run into trouble on my own," Sirius interrupted, the four kids trying not to stare in surprise. "And apparently, I would have."

"They still left school property without permission," Severus retorted.

"Now, now, we can discuss this back in the castle, I'm sure we can come up with fair punishments for all that deserve them. I need to discuss what happened with the centaurs to see what we can do about guarding the Grove against Shapeshifters before I head to the Ministry to inform them about what we need to do to fix the gate. I trust you can manage to actually make it to your dormitories this time?" Dumbledore said, looking over the rim of his glasses at the students.

"Yes, sir," the four of them said, glancing at each other.

"I will see that they get back personally," Severus said, his eyes flashing again. "Sirius, are you going to come get those wounds looked at or not?"

"Do you think Pomfrey will put me to sleep?" Sirius asked hopefully, earning a slight rib from his wife, rubbing his side painfully.

"What about me? Don't I deserve any sleep?"

"Well you could be sleeping now while Ginny's watching them," Sirius retorted.

"What, while you're busy chasing evil beings around Hogsmeade?" Anna glared at him. Severus rolled his eyes and gave Corey a shove ahead, keeping the students in sight as they walked back to the castle.

* * *

It was just as the game started that Essie slipped up the stairs. She switched to mouse form the moment she reached the top, scurrying across the floor and wriggling under the door. It seemed odd being in there without all the smoky incense or the smell of green tea bubbling in the back of the room. But she wasn't about to let herself get rattled now when she had come so far. Carefully she worked away across the room and behind the curtain, looking around unsurely. She had never been back there before.

Instead of a regular office, it seemed that the curtain lead right to Trelawney's sitting room; a very unkempt, pillow-tossed room with books stacked on their sides and odd papers with all sorts of markings taped on the wall, many of them with tiny beads or dolls or silver knot medallions dangling around them. A curious lever dangled down from the ceiling below what appeared to be a sort of sunroof, perhaps to look at the stars on clear nights. And underneath was a low table filled with dirty teacups as if the House Elves never came up there, or perhaps had been chased away once too often. Stubby, drippy candles were lit around the room, but it was a box sitting on the table beside the couch that got Essie's attention, and she soon changed into her own form and gently lifted the box and the ornate silk scarf underneath it to find a beautiful crystal ball. She suddenly felt rather envious of it; it was much bigger than hers, and made of milky crystal instead of clear like her own. Even as she put her hand on it, she felt a tingle run through her. Was this then what a real crystal ball felt like? Getting comfortable she settled it in front of her, attempting to relax despite her nervousness about getting caught. Would Trelawney understand when she explained? She tried to put that out of her mind, concentrating only on the matters at hand. Concentrating on Icarus again she muttered the phrase she had learned before as she put herself in a trance and gazed into it. Immediately the swirling began again, but this time she felt herself being pulled, as if something inside her was being pulled into the crystal. This isn't right, the crystal was only a medium for visions, it shouldn't be taking anything, she thought in confusion. What was going on? It was then that she heard a voice, clear as a bell echoing in her mind, knowing at once that it was Icarus.

"_Essie, do not trust the crystal, it is not what you think_," Icarus' voice said. "_Trust yourself to know what's right, don't fall for its tricks._" The echo of his voice was still ringing in her ears as a picture began to appear, and she began to see an image of herself, standing in front of Hogwarts. But the castle was different somehow…dark, and abandoned, with great signs she couldn't read standing all around it. Suddenly she heard a rumbling sound as a line of bulldozers and wreckers appeared over the grounds, heading towards the castle as she watched in horror.

"They say it was a home of wizards and ghosts at one time, not that I believe in that sort of thing," a worker said with a clipboard to a land developer.

"Even if they did exist once they're gone now…it's all about survival of the fittest in the end," said the voice, a familiar voice that chilled her, and as the man turned around she was the ice cold eyes of Lucius Malfoy looking over at him. "Take it down," he added, looking over at it with a face filled with mixed anger and yet loss as well. "Don't leave one stone of it standing."

"Essie!" The view changed abruptly and she looked to see her brother Corey, coming out of the barn. "Come on, we have a ton of sheep left to tag, you know."

"I don't want to tag sheep anymore," Essie heard herself say. "We can't let this happen, can't we fix this?"

"Fix what?"

"The magic," the Essie in the ball said. "It can't be gone, not really."

"Don't you remember? The gate got opened, and all the magic poured out into the Otherworld and shut again. We can't fix it, Essie."

"But what about Aunt Jennifer and Uncle Severus?"  
"Don't call them that, they're not your aunt and uncle!" Corey said venomously. "None of us would be in this mess if it wasn't for them. It's gone, Essie, it's gone for good, and there's nothing we can do to stop it."

"I could have stopped it," a ghostly voice said, and the view changed to one of a spirit overlooking the sea. "At least, I thought I could have. Perhaps I only made it worse somehow. But no one will ever know now, will they?" Icarus said.

"Can you see it? Can you see what might happen? Even now it's starting," The image of Trelawney invaded the ball, "The faerie folk even now search this castle for the very things that will lead us to our destruction. If we let those alone that would stop them, we will only be helping bring about the end of our world. Even Dumbledore cannot see the results of what will happen when that gate opens. But the truth, perhaps, is even more than he can bear. I have seen the end, Icarus. And I will fight it."

"Would you fight me? Would you fight Dumbledore?" the image of Icarus asked. "You can not possibly believe these dark visions actually will come about? What of you, Essie? What would you do to insure that our world does not disappear?" It asked, and another vision appeared, of robed ex-wizards and wizards wandering the streets of towns, unsure of how to make their way in a Muggle world. Essie cringed at it. No, that's just plain silly. Sure, they might be clueless at first, but they'd get used to it…but did she even want to get used to it? Stop casting spells? Stop being able to turn into a mouse, or fly a broom, no matter how badly she did it?

"You have a powerful gift, and powerful visions, Essie," said another voice, and saw the image of her father, sitting in the barn beside Corey, sheering a sheep, which bleated in annoyance. It was so real…she could almost smell the wool as it came off. "You have seen what may happen, you must act now, or all will be lost. I can show you how," the vision said. "And to prove myself, I shall tell you what will happen next. You shall look away from the crystal to see your professor standing in the doorway, and she will remind you of something she told you when you first met," he said. "Then you will know this is real."

"So, I wondered when you would end up in my room," said a voice…but this one, Essie realized, was an actually voice coming from someone standing in the doorway of the room she was in. She looked up quite startled to see the large, unsurprised eyes of Madame Trelawney, studying her. "You came looking for your friend, didn't you, but you found much more than you bargained for. I warned you when you first entered my class not to touch the ball before you were ready," she said, shaking her head sadly, closing the curtain behind her. "And now, I can see by your eyes, that you also have seen ahead, and know the future that awaits us."

"I didn't see anything about the future in the ball," Essie said carefully.

"Oh, but your eyes betray you, Miss Willowby. I can tell when one has been touched with the greatness that can be found in that ball. It is made of a special crystal that can only be found in one place; and only those ready to accept their gift can truly accept the wisdom it shows," she said enigmatically. "I have been toiling long and hard to make sure that the future shown will not come about, and I have done everything in my power to try and stop it."

"This ball, it's made from crystal…from the Crystal Cave itself, wasn't it? Does Viviane know it's here?" Essie asked with alarm.

"That cave has power even older than the Lady herself, Essie."

"But it's dangerous! Professor Dusthorn told us that sometimes it's hard to see the truth from the lies in the crystal there."

"You are speaking second hand about something you cannot possibly understand. Every vision I have ever seen in this crystal has come about. Every one! And yes, sadly, even the ones that I myself had to carry out." Essie stood up in surprise.

"Ones you had to carry out?" Essie said, growing pale. "But…but then it was you…you were at the dance that night, you changed the Ladles!"

"Essie, you must understand, I did not know she was expecting at the time, or perhaps I would have waited…but then…I saw myself do it, I knew I had to…" she said distantly.

"Why? Why would anyone try to hurt Professor Craw?"

"Don't you see? She was helping Dumbledore get all the pieces together! The Sentinels…the Sentinels were trying going to open the gate, the gate that will end all magic forever!" Trelawney said, grasping her by her arms tightly as if to make her understand. "And then when I was given the means to set things right, Dumbledore had to go and interfere with his Time-Turner and undo all the work I had done to try and fix things," she said, sobbing uncontrollably. "To make matters worse, Icarus never gave me a moment, asking me for my visions… demanding to know how often I've seen them…and then…in a weak moment I gave in and told him, and that spirit decided to go straight to Dumbledore. In a panic I hurried down to the Memoritorium, pausing only to set a trap for Janus, for I knew he would not be long in finding me…I told you, Icarus would never be found again, I foresaw that as well," Trelawney said, shaking slightly. "We must give in to our destinies, you know, fighting them is futile. I only hope that you can learn to be at peace with your own."

"What do you mean?" Essie asked, suddenly even more frightened.

"You realize I can't possibly let you go with what you know…I must finish what I've started, and I'm afraid…" she said, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to burn down her cheeks at she gave Essie a very mad smile, "You're just in the way, now."

"Please, Madame Trelawney, can't you see, there's something wrong with that ball. Don't you see what it's done to you? You're its slave, you're not controlling the future, it's controlling you!" Essie shouted at her, but she only shook her head.

"I am so very sorry, Essie. You were such a promising student. But I'm afraid you're going to have to go away now," Madame Trelawney said, waving her wand at Essie. As the girl suddenly dropped to the ground, unconscious, Trelawney shakily reached for the cloth and covered the ball as if it took all her strength to do so, then sat down and poured herself a cup of tea, ignoring the burning sensation on her hand as the shaking cup lapped over the rim onto it.


	31. Prisons of the Mind

Chapter Thirty-One

Prisons of the Mind

Minerva had been waiting for them at the gate as they came in, a fistful of envelopes in her hand to give to Dumbledore the moment they entered.

"These came for you since you left, Professor. And there's more on the desk that came during the game as well," Minerva said, a worried look on her face.

"More Fae attacks?" Dumbledore asked.

"Not just that, it seems that the magic has begun to fail again," Minerva said, walking along side them, "Nearly every borough we have across London was seen today, and the O'Donnell's Bookshoppe and Tea House in Edinburgh was visible as well. And there's even reports that there were Muggles in Gringotts bank!"

"It seems I have things to attend to. I trust you can take care of these four, Severus."

"I would be delighted to," Severus said with a smile the four students utterly didn't like.

"And don't be too hard on them," Dumbledore added, knowing that advice would likely be forgotten as he and Minerva went inside.

"If things are starting to appear again, I'm going to be needed at the Ministry," Sirius sighed, kissing Anna. "So much for sleep."

"I think I'm going to go by the hospital and say hello to Jennifer before I head back," Anna said.

"And please ask her not to stay too late," Severus said, glancing at the students. "Well, what are you standing there gaping at? Head in to my office!" he said, as the four of them immediately started forward. Shaking his head at the students, Severus then nodded to them before following.

* * *

It wasn't until the next day that anyone realized that anything else was amiss. Dumbledore himself did not get back to the school until dawn and quickly retired to his rooms, and Jennifer had stayed out later then she had expected, but was snuggled in bed when Severus awoke in the morning, getting up to get some last minute work done before the beginning of class. It wasn't long before he got to his office that there was a frantic knock on the door, and Severus sighed and got up to open it, quite surprised to see Angela standing there.

"Something's terribly wrong! Essie didn't come back to her room last night, and she wasn't with Doug this morning either! I can't find her anywhere!" Angela said, and Severus quickly pulled her into the room, shutting the door. "She told me to come to you if anything ever happened while she was out."

"She didn't go to the game. Were you expecting her to go?" Severus demanded.

"No, she, well, she told me she was going to go up to the North Tower while Trelawney was at the game, to use her crystal ball because hers was broken," Angela admitted. "She said Icarus has been trying to send her messages about what happened."

"How long has this been going on?"

"It started a few weeks ago…"

"Then why is the first time I'm hearing of it?" Severus demanded, Angela shrinking back. "Never mind, you're not responsible. Go eat, I'll take care of this," he snapped, as he opened the door and pointed her out. A moment after she was gone, Severus hurried to the back stairs. He heard his name called and paused to see Jennifer just below him, looking at him curiously.

"Where are you going, aren't you coming to breakfast?"

"It was Sibyl, Jennifer. It's been Sibyl this entire time… we should have seen it months ago," he said, continuing down the stairs.

"Sibyl?" Jennifer said with disbelief, hurrying to catch up with him. "Oh come now, Severus, don't you think this is going too far? First Pyther, then Pomona…"

"No, this time I'm sure," Severus said, glancing back at her with such a serious expression that Jennifer quieted down. "When does Sibyl go to school functions, Jennifer? Never. Only she did go the night of the dance, didn't she? And Icarus had been watching her very closely ever since, probably too close for her own liking. Then she even went to the game last night. Do you recall the last time Trelawney came down to go to a game? A game strangely enough set on by creatures no one has seen in several hundred years?" Jennifer's expression changed, attempting to think back, shaking her head. "Apparently Essie was onto something and went to the North Tower alone yesterday and now she too is missing."

"Essie is missing?" Jennifer repeated in growing concern, horrified. "But…Sibyl wouldn't, she couldn't possibly do anything to harm a student, she's been a Hogwarts professor for years and years! Even if she is a little batty, she wouldn't do that!"

"She nearly killed you, Jennifer. I wouldn't put anything past her at this point," Severus said as they hurried down the corridor to the tower and up the last staircase. But as they stepped into the classroom they immediately noticed something odd in that the curtain to the back room was open, and several things, notably the crystal ball, most of the books, her ornate tea set and Sibyl herself were very much missing from the room.

It was Minerva who met Jennifer and Severus and hurried up to the tower with them, helping them to try to make some sense out of things and shooing curious students away who had come up for their morning classes.

"I can't believe it came to this," Minerva said, the grief in her voice unmistakable. "Granted, I never liked the woman, but I never thought it would come to this."

"She can't have been acting alone. She had to have gotten the Ladle somewhere," Severus pointed out.

"And we can't rule out she might have been under the influence of some sort of cursed item," Jennifer added. Severus looked thoughtful.

"You know, Angela did say that Essie came up here to borrow her crystal ball," Severus said.

"Rather odd, Essie has one of her own that Corey gave her," Jennifer said thoughtfully.

"It does seem to be one of the things she managed to take with her," Minerva agreed.

"Do you think she might have taken her to her summer home or something? Or perhaps stopping to at least to pick up some things?" Jennifer asked.

"I have a couple of addresses for her you're welcome to try, let's head to my office," Minerva agreed, leading the way. "Although I doubt she'd stay at either very long considering the circumstances."

"It still may give us some clue to where she is or where she's keeping Essie," Severus said, following close behind her and standing over Minerva's desk impatiently as she dug through her files, the relevant ones popping out of the cabinet on her own and right before her.

"Here we are, she owns a place in Manchester and also has a retreat on Theives Holm."

"I think we'll start with the retreat since it's more remote. We'll have to cancel some classes…" Severus began.

"I'll take care of that. I'm starting to get used to rescheduling classes this year," Minerva said dryly.

"Jennifer, perhaps you should…" but Severus stopped short when he looked over to see the lost expression on her face. She had been gazing at the school register for quite some time, feeling quite out of breath, trying to hold her tears back. "Jennifer?"

"She's not here," Jennifer said, shaking her head slightly. "Alicia…she's not in here."

"Oh Jennifer," Minerva said with a sigh as Severus went over to her, flipping the last page over. "It's really not the end of the world, you know, sometimes it takes awhile for the name to appear…"

"And sometimes not at all," Jennifer said, sounding strange. "All the other three were in there the moment they were born."

"Jennifer," Severus said in a gentle but firm voice. "Jennifer, now is not the time for this. All that matters right now is that Alicia is safe and well cared for. We need to try and do something for Essie before it's too late," he said. Jennifer nodded numbly. "Now, you need to go to the Ministry and appraise them of the situation, and get what information they may have found so far on the Ladle. With any luck we should be able to connect the pieces."

* * *

Essie woke up to find herself in a dark room, surrounded by the sound of the ocean waves and only a tiny light coming from a knot hole in the trap door to see by. Her heart was beating out of her chest, remembering what had happened. She pushed herself upright, the cellar floor muddy and damp underneath her hands. But something inside told her not to stand yet, and she found herself crawling through the cellar, her hands searching for something and she wasn't quite sure what. Then she felt a tingle running through her fingers as she touched something hard and somewhat sharp and realized it was a shard of bone. Reaching down again she found several more… each a tiny sliver, each with the same odd feel. At last she felt satisfied she had them all, putting them in her robe pocket. Then as quietly as she could, she climbed the ladder to the trap door, pushing it gently and then harder when she realized it was locked, gazing through the hole.

There she saw the legs of a table, and the feet and robes of Madame Trelawney; nobody else would wear that color. She was chanting, loudly, and Essie realized she was probably trying to contact the ball. Cautiously putting a few fingers in the hole, Essie changed into her mouse form and quickly steadied her grip from where she dangled from the knothole and climbed out, whisking quickly behind a dusty old broom that sat in the corner as she peered up at the table.

"Answer! Answer, portents of the future! Show me my next path!" Trelawney demanded…perhaps even begged…until finally she sat mesmerized, looking into it. Slowly Essie climbed the broom, but even then she couldn't make out what Trelawney had seen, but her face had become full of grief. "No, no, I wouldn't do that! No, nothing would make me to that! It cannot be true! I cannot possibly!" she wept, covering her face with her hands. After a moment of weeping, she seemed to be remarkably better, covering up the crystal before double-checking the locks on the trap door.

"I am so terribly sorry," she said quietly, her lip trembling. Quite suddenly she Disapparated, leaving only the mouse to contemplate what to do next.

Well one thing was for sure, Essie thought, she wasn't about to ask the crystal. Essie changed back into her original form and grabbed up the crystal, tying the scarf up around it and then around her belt buckle so she wouldn't drop it when she changed again. Frantically she searched the fireplace and the pots, but there was no sign of floo powder, and she had very little idea of where she was. Hurriedly, she stepped out the door, realizing that perhaps she had and even bigger problem ahead of her, for she was on a very small island and the lonely cottage was the only structure upon it. Seals and seabirds beached all around her, none of them too concerned that she was there. It wasn't the only island though; many others seemed to be all around her, and most of them larger islands that reached out in the distance. Hurriedly she headed back in, hoping that a quick search would produce her wand so she could turn one of the seals into a skiff to get her on one of the bigger islands and hopefully find some help. But when pulling out a few drawers in both the kitchen and the main room didn't avail to anything, she spied the dusty broom again. Well she had to try it, what other choice did she have? She also began to realize that she had little choice as to where to go next, and it wasn't to Hogwarts.

* * *

It was not long after she had left that Severus had Apparated onto the island with a paper in one hand, wand on the other, suspiciously opening the unlocked door and peering into the kitchen. It was obvious the dust on the floors had definitely been disturbed, and Severus carefully walked over to the teacup on the table and tested it with his finger; it was still lukewarm. It was then that he heard the lapping sound of water, and quickly cast a spell on the trap door, opening it to find the cellar completely flooded with salty water. A chill went through him before he noticed tiny prints in the dust beside the trap door, heading towards the fireplace, stopping where a set of human footprints led outside. Well, she was on her own now, Severus mused, but that was better than most of the alternatives. If she remembered anything from her Defense class, she would… Severus groaned, realizing who he was speaking of. He really needed to add another hand to his watch.

* * *

The Ministry was in complete chaos when Jennifer got there, shells ringing off the walls, agents running in every which direction, and Penelope buried behind a mound of paperwork at the reception desk.

"I'm sorry, you're just going to have to tell them to handle it on their own, we need you at Westminster," Penelope told someone on the shell with a sigh. "Don't argue, just go!" She said, putting the shell back on the shelf.

"Penelope?"

"Oh, Jennifer, don't tell me the school has appeared to Muggles too!" she said.

"No. At least, I sure hope not," Jennifer said. "I need to talk to Thurspire about the Ladle, see…"

"Thurspire, I think he's out on location near the Knockturn Alley city entrance. You'll have to try back later."

"But there's a student missing! And we think we found out who's doing it!" Jennifer said.

"Well right now I think you have more resources than we do at the moment. Can't you handle it?" Penelope asked.

"We need information. Never mind, I'll go…" just then Jennifer stopped short as Arthur and several Creatures agents appeared in the entrance carrying a small iron cage, heading towards the back. "Arthur?"

"Jennifer! I suppose you heard about the Redcap," Arthur said. "But it's alright, we have it now, thanks in large part to your father," he explained, nodding to the cage. A ferocious, goblin-like creature snarled inside, its eyes red and its hands streaked with blood. "Nasty little buggers. I'm afraid Azkaban lost one of its guards to it…. Sammy Martin. Fortunately, it decided to step into the wrong cell, and your father used the iron chain between the floor and his chair to hold it down until Boltin arrived."

"Father always did say there was no such thing as a defenseless Craw," Jennifer said, feeling a bit relieved that she'd been too busy to find out what was going on. "But really, I'm here to find out what you have on the Ladle. It seems that Sibyl Trelawney was the one who tried to kill me."

"Sibyl Trelawney! Are you sure?" Arthur said, stopping in stunned horror, waving the others on to dispose of the creature.

"Well, not completely…but she's missing and there's also a student missing…"

"But I just saw the woman coming from Azkaban prison, she was there trying to visit someone but they sent her away!"

"Azkaban prison! Arthur, you don't think…"

"Say no more…Penelope! Get a message to the Warden asking him to release Ludo Bagman's visitor list. In the meantime, let Craw have whatever she needs! Files…shells, entrance, and any LE officer we can spare until I can find time to get to Hogwarts. Consider her cleared for…well, pretend she's Dumbledore! And speaking of the Professor, as soon as you get back, let him know I've contained the entire Stonehenge area for him. The Muggles think the area has been radioactively contaminated," he winked. "I got that off of one of those Muggle movies, where these creatures from outer space…"

"Minister Weasley, there's still that little matter at Gringotts, the goblins are still threatening to put the intruders in a vault…." Penelope cut in.

"Fine! Going!" Arthur said, throwing up his hands. "I really hope this flux in magic doesn't last as long as the last one. This has been going on and off for over nine months now," he sighed, grabbing a folder that Penelope held out for him before heading back out. But Jennifer stood for a moment with a curious feeling going through her. Shaking her head, she walked back over to the desk.

* * *

"Are you sure she's coming to this place?" Harry asked.

"Icarus said she'd be coming here," Essie said, stumbling in the dark right behind him.

"If Icarus says she is coming here, she is, I can trust him as far as that," Viviane said calmly. "Try to keep up."

"Can't we have a little light?" Harry asked.

"You proved last visit you couldn't keep your eyes where they belonged," Viviane snapped at him.

"Believe me, I have no intention of making that mistake again," Harry swore, feeling Essie stumble a bit behind him, offering her his hand. "You all right?" he asked in a soft voice.

"Yes, except I rather feel like I'm dreaming, finding myself walking under the lake with the Lady herself, not to mention you," Essie admitted shyly.

"Well, I'm just a guy who used to have a scar on his head," Harry said. "But I admit the rest is a bit awesome to me too. I'm only glad you were able to catch me at home when you did. You have no idea how hectic the outside world has been lately, with spells failing all the time and fae appearing in unexpected places."

"Just like the ball said," Essie whispered worriedly. "Is the end of magic coming then, after all?"

"You shouldn't believe everything you see in a crystal ball of any sort," Viviane said from way ahead, letting them know their discussion had been heard. "Or any mirror, or any vision, or any portent that promises to tell or show you something that you don't already know. There is no true reflection of a soul, or of time, they are merely illusions, and if you remember that," Viviane said, pausing to light a single candle on a pillar beneath the lake. "Then you may come out of this alive yet," Viviane said with an enigmatic smile that made Essie a bit nervous. "Come, let us stand over here by the wall…don't look into the crystal…and wait for her. Do not worry, she is even now searching for the place," Viviane said, gazing into the ball casually. "She is a prisoner of her own fears and visions now, and has little choice but to try to find it."

"I've heard that people have gone mad looking into the Mirror of Erised, but I think it'd be worse being a prisoner of your fears than of your longings," Harry said. Viviane looked amused and was about to answer when she suddenly glanced up at the shimmering water. "Wait here," she said and stepped out into the floor.

That was when both Harry and Essie saw her in a way they hadn't before, her hair long and free…her dress growing in length and a silvery sparkle flickering across it as she moved to the center of the room, picking up the candle. She looked both older and younger, and definitely more faerie than mortal. If there had been any doubt who she was before, there was little in that moment, and Essie could almost imagine her coming up out of the lake above to speak to those waiting on the shore to hear her wisdom. It was this figure that Sibyl now approached from the same corridor that Essie and Harry had traveled a few moments before. But she did not seem like the quivering, shaky figure that Essie had known; now she looked strangely overconfident, and haunted somehow.

"So, it's been you who has been guiding me?" Sibyl asked. "I should have known who you were at Halloween."

"I have been watching you, but I am not the one guiding you," Viviane said expressionlessly. "Have you come to look in the crystals? You will not like what you see."

"But I must, I must stop what is happening. Surely you see it, surely you know!"

"I see only the truth, and the truth is that you have been helping the Dark Fae break through the gate for quite some time now, whether you knew it or not," Viviane said sternly. "And those attempts along with others in your Order have brought the events happening now onto this world. You should be thankful you were not on the other side of that gate right now, mortal. Your punishment for your involvement in this would be harsh indeed. And for what, attempting to stop the inevitable? The opening of the gate? The rebalancing of this world and ours? But your reasons for attempting it were hardly for anyone's benefit but your own. All you knew was when you saw visions within the crystal that they always came to pass…but this was no mystery, because before you even realized the truth that you yourself were doing them, you were making them happen. And yet even now that you realize that was what occurred, you still crave the visions; even now you wish to see ahead…foolish woman. You sacrifice your present in favor of your future. Do you not realize that without the present, there is no future? But so be it. If what you wish is but to see through the eyes of this chamber than you may, or avert your eyes and save what little soul you have left."

Harry quickly turned his gaze and held up a hand to shelter Essie's as the light came up in the room, and Essie quickly shut her eyes as well.

"It's magnificent! So beautiful! And I see so many things! Wait, no wait that isn't… that isn't right… that wasn't me! I only foresaw it! And that…past…don't show me the past…I want to see… but I don't want to see that! Stop! Make it stop!" The crying that came afterwards was heartbreaking to hear, and Essie suddenly wished she hadn't come, wished she hadn't shown Harry the crystal…no, she realized…it would have happened anyhow… nothing she could have done after that point would have changed anything.

"You may look up now," Viviane said, when the cries turned into sobs, and Harry and Essie looked up to see Trelawney sitting at Viviane's feet with her hands covering her eyes. "I do not know if she'll ever be able to face the world again, but then I do not believe she has been able to for quite some time."

"Chances are she'll be going to Azkaban prison for a very long while anyhow," Harry said, walking over to her and helping her to her feet, letting her lean against him. "Come on, you've got quite a bit of explaining to do."

"I will see that Essie gets back," Viviane told him. "There is something I want to speak to her about first."

"All right, Lady Viviane. I'll just let Dumbledore know she's safe," Harry said, heading down the corridor.

"Well! Now that that is done, it is your turn," Viviane said, watching Essie's eyes go wide. "Don't give me that. Stand in the center of the room."

"What did I do wrong?" Essie asked.

"If you did anything, I assure you, you're about to find out," Viviane smirked. "I am just making sure that you don't end up like her someday. I have enough headaches without having to deal with one more like her, and you have even more talent than she once had before she began listening to lies," she said, filling the room with light. "Someone like you needs to learn discrimination. Open your eyes," she ordered. The first thing Essie saw was Icarus.


	32. The Sentinels of Merlin

Chapter Thirty-Two

The Sentinels of Merlin

Jennifer entered the study to find Severus already waiting for her, Dumbledore leaning back in his chair and smiling softly as she came in.

"It was Bagman who gave her the ladle… I don't know why we didn't realize it sooner," Jennifer said with a sigh, sitting down. "He must have got it from Fudge and someone in Equinox stored it until they could find someone willing to carry out their deed. Apparently, Trelawney was convinced like many of their other members that opening the gate would mean the end of our world, and Bagman had convinced her that I was a catalyst to all that was going on and should be taken out. But… I don't know, something must have changed her mind later. I mean, she really did have opportunities to try killing me again, if she had wanted to."

"We were all on our guard after that, and suspecting each other," Severus said, earning an amused look from Dumbledore. "I'm sure that that was a deterrent in some respect."

"At least now we know that Essie was able to get away. I received a short note from Harry letting us know that she was safe, and that he'd be joining us shortly," Dumbledore said.

"Oh, thank goodness," Jennifer said, relief washing over her worried features, allowing herself to relax back into the chair. "I was so hoping she wouldn't go so far as to harm a student."

"She nearly did," Severus said seriously. Jennifer gazed into his expression, startled. "But it seems Essie was able to keep her wits about her and escape with them in tact if she managed to find Harry."

There was a knock then, and the door opened to apparently no one. A moment later, Sagittari appeared in the doorway, looking slightly apologetic.

"I don't think I'm ever going to get the hang of spiral staircases," he admitted. "I'm just too broad shouldered."

"Broad something at any rate," Severus said, earning a dirty look from his wife.

"How is Alicia?" Jennifer asked.

"As beautiful as the last time you asked me," Sagittari smiled at her. "If things keep going as well, she'll be ready to go home in a week."

"It is good to hear that something has not been upset by all the recent events," Dumbledore said. "I don't think I have to tell any of you how serious things have gotten outside these walls."

"Then we're going to go ahead and open the gate, professor?" Jennifer asked.

"Indeed. Tonight. It's already arranged," Dumbledore said.

"Tonight? So soon?" Jennifer frowned.

"Severus, you will be in charge of getting the Stone there, the rest of us know what to bring, I trust," Dumbledore said. "Sirius and Anna will meet us there at about eleven, and we'll work for opening it around midnight."

"Well, I can understand the need for my sister going, but why is Sirius coming along?" Severus asked curtly.

"When I arranged to take the stone, I had to agree to certain things done Viviane's way, and that included making sure that the heir of the Mac Lir clan was there as well. Not of course that I wouldn't have invited him anyhow," Dumbledore added with amusement.

"Mac Lir? As in Cuchulain?" Severus said in disbelief.

"That's it. Severus, I want to move to the new world where everyone doesn't have a famous ancestor," Jennifer declared.

"Yes, I'm beginning to agree with you. Still, it does make sense, considering he was cursed by eating dogmeat…."

"Wait, didn't Morrigan do that? And isn't Anna a descendant of Morrigan?" Jennifer said.

"For some strange reason, I don't think that's a coincidence either," Severus smirked.

"For some strange reason, I think your Aunt Viviane had something to do with it."

"All right, that is quite enough," Dumbledore said, eyes twinkling. "Besides, wasn't it the two of you who stated that destiny was based on one's own decisions in life? Well, then, let's put the history lesson aside, and simply accept the fact that the two of them were meant to be together on their own merits, and nothing else," Dumbledore smiled.

"Sirius has merits?" Severus asked. Just then the door opened unceremoniously and Harry came in.

"It's all right," he said as he walked up to them. "Essie is safe. She's with Viviane."

"Make up your mind, is she safe, or is she with my Aunt?" Severus snapped. Jennifer nodded in agreement.

"It seems that Trelawney was using a crystal ball made from the crystal in that Cave," Harry explained, looking over at Dumbledore who then shook his head sadly. "I think that's what finally caused her to go over the edge. Well, Essie stole it from her and brought it to me because she wanted to return it to Viviane where it couldn't do any more harm. I think Viviane kept her because she wanted to make sure Essie was all right considering she looked in that ball too."

"And Sibyl?"

"Came to the Cave looking for answers, and I think…I think she found them, but they weren't what she wanted," Harry said carefully. "She's in the hands of the Ministry now, she's going to be held in Azkaban and given psychiatric testing. I don't think she's going to be coming out anytime soon."

"How lucky for her," Severus said, his eyes flashing slightly. "Sounds like she's going to be spending some time with our dear friend Bagman."

"Well, the Ministry has now put in a request for Bagman to have only family visits only and then with careful supervision," Jennifer said, "He won't be doing any more plotting."

"A man like Bagman never stops plotting, Jennifer," Severus mused, "But hopefully you're right in that he'll no longer have the opportunity to carry them out."

"Well, now that we're all up to date perhaps we should be getting ready. Severus, if –" There was another knock on the door and Minerva gazed in with a smile, making way for Viviane and Essie, who soon found herself being hugged by Jennifer and Sagittari and even Dumbledore, the young girl blushing slightly.

"Is this stray yours?" Viviane asked politely, the straight expression hardly covering up the amused tone in her voice.

"Indeed, but she is hardly a stray," Dumbledore said.

"I hear you've been having quite some adventures, although you should've clued us in on them sooner," Jennifer chided her.

"Gee, who else is it that I know that takes off like that without telling anyone?" Severus mused. Jennifer ignored him.

"There's something I still need to take care of," Essie admitted, pulling out the remains she had gathered in her pocket. Dumbledore adjusted his glasses as he looked at the fragments of bone and then smiled at Essie before glancing up to Minerva.

"Minerva, I think you should probably see her to the hospital to be checked over by Poppy, and then sent to Francis Pyther. I am sure he is more than capable of helping you restore Icarus. It will be good to have him back. And you, young lady, have done this school a great service by…acquiring that piece and making sure it got back to its rightful owner," Dumbledore told Essie, glancing up at Viviane. "It is, of course, safely put away at last?"

"For now," Viviane agreed unconcernedly. "You shouldn't have to worry about it again in your lifetime, at least." Jennifer remembered once again why she didn't particularly trust her. "But we do have some pressing business to attend to, don't you think?"

"Can I see my brother?" Essie asked.

"First thing in the morning. I'm sure you'll be up late enough with what you've already got planned for tonight," Minerva told her as they left the room together.

"As will we all," Dumbledore agreed, showing the rest out, before pausing to take out something from the Sorting Hat.

* * *

How exactly Severus managed to get the Lia Fal to Stonehenge so quickly, no one ever heard. But as it was when everyone else arrived he was there leaning against it with his arms crossed in the center of the ring, tapping his fingers impatiently. Viviane arrived next, followed by Anna and Sirius, the stone humming annoyingly anytime Sirius went near it…then Jennifer and Sagittari came with Cauldron and Spear in hands.

"Where's Dumbledore?" Severus asked, gazing at the watch.

"He said there were some others he wanted to be here," Jennifer said. A moment later, Arthur Weasley Apparated into view, greeting everyone with a nod, followed by Harry and then Lunette Vallid, who was quick to make Anna and Sirius promise to let her see her godchildren after all this was over.

At last, Dumbledore reappeared with Erik and Balmweed by his side, and quite a number of surprised looks and stares were being past in the Vice Chairman's direction and back at Dumbledore again.

"What is he doing here?" Severus demanded.

"He is here to say 'I told you so' if anything goes wrong," Erik joked. Vallid grinned at him.

"I thought it appropriate that someone from Equinox be here, and seeing that most of his fellow Order members seem to be under a great deal of scrutiny or otherwise detained, he was the most likely candidate to be a witness," Dumbledore explained.

"Please, I may be of Equinox, but I swear I knew absolutely nothing about this Ladle business," Balmweed said. "I would never do anything that would directly hurt the school."

"I believe you, Norman," Erik assured him. "If I didn't, you wouldn't still be my Vice Chairman," he added with a thin smile.

"And what about the Imps? You're saying you knew nothing about that as well?" Jennifer asked. Balmweed hesitated slightly, aware that everyone else was looking at him.

"I refuse to answer any more questions on the subject in the presence of a licensed Truth Seeker without my lawyer present," he stated.

"Wise move," Vallid smirked.

"Well, well, what do we have here?"

Everyone looked up to see Lucius Malfoy with Draco not far behind, stepping into the ring.

"As usual, I see you have your ducks in a row, Dumbledore."

"Please tell me you didn't invite him," Sirius muttered from where he was standing next to the Headmaster.

"No, but I'm not surprised either, although I wonder exactly how he heard about this little gathering," Dumbledore said as Lucius drew near.

"Really, Dumbledore. It's been obvious what you've been planning from the start ever since you sent Craw for the Cauldron. And of course when the Ministry decided to quarantine the entire area from Muggles, I knew it wouldn't be long. Not that I myself don't want this chaotic mess the Ministry has caused to end…"

"We caused? You think we're responsible? You know, if it wasn't for Lorcan getting hold of the book _you_ had, the gate wouldn't have been damaged in the first place." Arthur pointed out defensively.

"If you had caught Lorcan before he would have found the book 'in the first place'…"

"All right, all right, this is definitely not the time for this," Lunette said, stepping between them.

"Not to mention the fact that it is probably the Ministry who is also responsible for sabotaging the spells around the country. I think it's intentional because you want the Muggles to notice, and if that is the case, the Ministry has outlived its intended purpose of keeping them at bay, hasn't it?" Lucius continued.

"Silence!" A booming voice said, startling nearly everyone there. It had taken Jennifer a moment to realize that the voice had come from Viviane. "The next person to bring up current politics shall be roasted by lightning. You have been warned." Lucius gazed at her warily but quieted down, giving her a fixed gaze which she noticed and then summarily dismissed. "Those two have just as much right to be here as some of you…more, in fact, than most of you. Now back off and form a circle while Sirius puts the Seal together." Sirius pointed at himself with surprise and Dumbledore nodded gently to him as encouragement.

"I wouldn't even know where to start," he admitted. Viviane sighed impatiently.

"Make a door frame around the gate and place the Cauldron in the center. Must I tell you everything?" she asked impatiently. It was Anna who pointed out to Sirius where the gate would appear, and then awkwardly he took the Spear from Sagittari, aligning it on the other side of the Stone. Dumbledore then handed him the Sword, and as the others silently watched him balance the hilt on the stone, the tip of the Spear elongated to meet it on the other side, forming a perfect arch. Encouraged by the item's reaction, Sirius smiled and held his hand out for the Cauldron's handle, which Jennifer held out.

"Anyone want any porridge before we finish this?" Jennifer joked nervously.

"If we're successful I daresay I'll want more than porridge," Vallid chuckled in return. "Like a good stiff drink."

"I think I'll want one either way, if we don't implode or anything," Sirius said. Viviane rolled her eyes.

"Just finish what you're doing," she ordered, muttering something about 'mortals' under her breath.

Sirius took the cauldron then, placing it in the arch. The moment that he did so, the Cauldron's bubbling liquid began to empty and the Cauldron itself became flatter and flatter; and all the while the sword and spear suddenly took on a larger and stonier appearance. It was about then that Jennifer realized what was happening; the other parts of the seal were turning like the Lia Fal, becoming a stone arch of identical size and shape to the others still standing around them. The only true difference was that the Cauldron formed a stone threshold at its foot, completing the doorway. Then, as the pieces of the Seal finished changing shape, a lattice of white light suddenly criss-crossed in front of it, bright at first, then slowly dimming until it could barely be seen, creating a protective mesh between them and the gate itself.

"I've seen this," Jennifer heard herself say. "I've seen this before, somehow."

"Yes, I'm getting a rather odd sense of déjà vu myself," Severus muttered back. Gazing up at the clear starry sky, Sagittari nodded solemnly.

"It is a night for much greatness," Sagittari said.

"The stones," Harry pointed out, coming to stand with the other three, "The other stones of the circle look complete now, just like they do in the Twilight Arch."

"Different times seem to be descending here at once," Severus nodded thoughtfully.

"Fine! You win!" Viviane said in annoyance, and everyone else gazed over, wondering what she was talking about. "You four with the 'astute' observations stand right behind Anna. The rest of you close the circle a bit," she said, ignoring the amused look Dumbledore was giving her.

"Do you need me to repeat the spell for you?" Severus asked his sister gently from behind her.

"No, I know it," Anna said, realizing she did and not quite understanding why. There was a strange tension in the air; and a strange build up of power…but it wasn't all coming from them, or the area around them. No, Anna knew for a fact that the odd build up was coming from the other end of the gate. Those around her seemed impatient, as if wondering what she was waiting for. What was she waiting for? She asked herself. But then that was all answered when she suddenly heard a strangely familiar voice in her head which asked, _Are you ready?_

Somehow she doubted the answer was really important; she knew then it was going to happen now whether she was ready or not. A phantom wind began to blow through as she chanted peculiar, ancient words that were so familiar she could almost understand them; and she found herself reliving in some respects what had happened that day four years ago…but no…this was different… as wrong as that event was, this one seemed just as right, with her friends and guardians about her and her husband at her side, the great Seal that had protected Tir Na Nog for thousands of years in front of them and someone…someone calling to her from the other side.

As the call grew stronger, she found herself walking closer to the Seal, nearly touching it, until she got the irresistible urge to reach her hand through it. The gate beyond suddenly burst open as a door of complete light of which none of them could see anything past, so blindingly bright that it was difficult for any of them to look directly at it at all. But then, Anna felt a warm hand in hers…large, pinkish, human…and then the sleeve of a robe followed, and then oddly enough, the tip of a beard, and as Anna stepped back in surprise to let the wizard through she found herself holding hands with someone who, for the first time since she entered the magic world, even tongue-tied her with awe. There was no doubt who she was looking at, and she was vaguely aware of everyone bowing and curtseying behind her as a slightly amused, thin smile played across Merlin's face as he gazed directly at her.

"Why, thank you, Anna. It is very good to see you again," Merlin said, finally letting go of her hand. "And so pretty too! The line certainly has held up well, hasn't it?" he teased, gazing to where Sirius was standing, dumbfounded.

"Ah yes, and this must be Sirius. I know that bloodline anywhere," Merlin said with amusement. "Welcome to the family. Oh, hello, Viviane, I should have known you would be here," he added casually as she gave him a cool but respectful nod.

"I'm sorry about the others being here, but they insisted," Viviane said, looking accusingly at Dumbledore and everyone else standing there as if she had nothing to do with it.

"Well, it isn't as if I didn't know they were coming, of course they're here, Viviane, they were supposed to be. Didn't you get my memo?" Merlin said with amusement.

"What's a memo?" Jennifer whispered to Severus, who shrugged slightly.

"There are no such things as 'memos' in Tir Na Nog," Viviane said curtly, knowing quite certain he was pulling her leg again.

"Well, haven't you ever heard the old adage not to put all one's eggs in one basket, my dear? Yes, well, perhaps it shouldn't surprise you then that I didn't necessarily tell you everything. It really would have been too much burden to expect you to manage to get the two descendants from those present at the time the last time the gate was closed _and_ the four Sentinels of magic here, now that would have been too much responsibility even for you to handle. So I decided to delegate one part of the prophecy to you and another to someone else," Merlin said, obviously very amused that Viviane was totally not amused at all. "Don't tell me, you've been fighting with the Sentinels all these years, haven't you? You haven't changed a bit." Viviane then decided to ignore him completely, but Merlin didn't seem to mind, focusing instead on Dumbledore.

"I am terribly sorry if she was a trial to you, Albus. You know how women are," Merlin said with a mischievous smile.

"She was no trouble, Merlin," Dumbledore smiled, shaking his hand. "I am quite honored to meet you. I was not sure if you would come."

"Of course, one does get rather bored living in a land of immortals. They never change; they never really ever want to do anything fun. Give me a room full of everyday folk any day. Now there's some people that know how to have a good time," Merlin winked. "But then, I see that none of them seem to have made it here…there are only wizards and witches present," he noted, glancing around. "I suppose then that means that you must know already what I must say about staying," Merlin said.

"Yes, I know you cannot," Dumbledore said with a sigh. "We are not ready."

"Wise are those who know and truly understand their limitations despite their aspirations," Merlin smiled. "Quite alright. There will be other occasions," he assured him. "Nice beard," he added with a wink, before turning to Vallid.

"Oh, it's you again," Merlin said with amusement. "So you were the last face of darkness! Of course, I should have guessed, Lunette. You've always seemed to me more of a muse of vengeance then of justice. Justice in its true sense is exerted immediately and only upon those who deserve sentence. Now courts…courts are truly a sadistic invention." Vallid couldn't help but notice Sirius nodding his head in agreement and Severus' curt nod to second that opinion.

"Perhaps that is why I only take cases I can win," Vallid smiled at him.

"A girl after my own heart," Merlin said amused, glancing at over at Arthur. "Now, I can mistake a name from time to time, but I'd recognize that hair anywhere."

"Arthur Weasley, Sir," Arthur said offering his hand eagerly.

"Well, that I should have been able to guess myself," Merlin chuckled at himself, accepting his hand with a nod. "I am very glad you are doing so well, and most especially, that you seem very happy with your life," he added. "Greatness is nothing without happiness, and power is empty without reason."

"How very true, sir. You are indeed as wise as they say," Arthur said, bowing again.

"True," Merlin said. "But not as wise as you are, I think," he added then gazed over at where Lucius and Draco stood.

"Well, well, well. Who invited them?" Merlin chuckled with a wink towards Viviane who wasn't impressed with his sense of humor at all. "Draco, still unsure of what direction to take, are you? Oh, don't worry, I'm sure it'll come to you," Merlin said, looking thoughtfully at his father. "And you are?"

"Lucius Malfoy, and you?" Lucius asked warily. Merlin looked amused.

"I have many names," he said.

"And might I ask how you know my son, and not know me?"

"Well, I do know who you're descended from, of course, I can always tell those sorts of things," Merlin said. "But you see, I see all times at once, and I've always felt a certain closeness to those I've come across, whether in the past or future. Some I remember because of deeds they have done or will do, others I see because they are related to me in some way, and others are just casual acquaintances I've bumped into from time to time. And then, there are a small number I have bumped into and decided to forget intentionally, and others that were just small nuisances best swatted away because in the long scheme of things, they're efforts at debauchery really weren't worth all that much," Merlin explained with a wide smile. "It's terribly unfortunate that I won't be here at the point that you figure out which one of those you are, I'll be rather busy. But anyway…Erik! Is that really you?" Merlin asked, leaving Lucius there squinting at him, trying to decide whether or not to believe it was the real Merlin and not some sort of plot laid out by someone else to make them think he was. "Splendid job you've been doing with the Order. Do keep up the good work, I dare say everything is right on track. And well done toning up the ranks and making sure those who get in deserve to be. Can't have an order getting too wrapped up in politics you know, which of course, is part of what went wrong with my first Order, I think," he sighed, looking over at Balmweed.

"Equinox was supposed to be there to preserve the ancient texts and prophesies, not destroy them or grossly misinterpret them," he said, his stern gaze quite disturbing after the levity he had expressed with most of the others.

"We…we didn't destroy any texts sir, but Severus…"

"I'm well aware of Severus' activities, definitely more than you are, and I am not interested in finger pointing anyhow. And if the gate opening means anything is going to end, it is your own Order, for I am officially washing my hands of you. You cannot preserve history by hording it, Balmweed, or sticking it in dusty airless vaults, or whispering it in dark rooms surrounded by old men sipping absinthe and grumbling about how nothing ever stays the same. You preserve it by passing it on, instructing it to others, keeping the essence of the lessons learned by those who have long left while still respecting of the situations of the present. From where I've stood, I have seen that people haven't learned much of anything over the years…no offense to those actually trying," Merlin added with a nod to Albus. "You are still warring among yourselves and the 'Muggles' as you call them, and truthfully in many ways they've come farther than you have, although I rather blame that on the difference in lifespans. Shorter-lived folks do tend to accomplish more, while the rest of us do tend to procrastinate a bit more. It is the fears of this society, however, that seem to have held you back the most, fear of change, fear of the unknown.

"But one day…one day in the far off future, perhaps another thousand years from now, I am going to come back and find that you have finally come out of your shells only to learn that it really didn't have as much of an impact as you thought it would. Oh, well, you'll get more tourists in Diagon Alley and I'm sure the goblins will make a fair amount in exchange rates, but it certainly won't collapse the wizard ethnic group by declaring its existence. People tend to hang on to their traditions and backgrounds you know, but that doesn't mean you should cut yourself off from the new way of doing things. Why, even I have considered discarding by robes for a silk shirt and bell-bottom jeans…of course, it seems like every time I've finally warmed myself up to that idea they go out of style again. Oh, well, I'm sure there will be other opportunities," he mused to himself as he walked towards the last four leaving Balmweed to try and figure out what in the world he was just talking about.

He came to stand beside Sagittari and was about to greet him when his eyes suddenly fell upon Jennifer standing beside him, Severus becoming instantly alarmed from the other side of her at the look that Merlin was giving her.

"Forgive me, but not one more minute can be wasted without my meeting this exquisite beauty that has momentarily but completely enraptured my attention," he said, as Jennifer grew wide eyed as Merlin took her hand, kissing it gently. For a peculiar moment she suddenly was reminded of the Beard Wand's constant flirting, and although she was quite aware that she had little to actually worry about, she couldn't help but be taken aback by the gaze in his eyes. She was also very glad she couldn't read his expression.

"My dear, if I had seen you before in any vision I would have never forgotten it, but even so I feel that it was probably destiny that we meet, as unforeseen as it may be. And what, pray, is your name, so you will never elude my attention again?" he asked.

"Jennifer Craw Snape," Jennifer stammered.

"Jennifer!" Merlin repeated with a twinkle in his eyes. "I have always loved that name! So you are the Dark Sentinel! You know, I have always found myself oddly attracted to the darker magics over time. Perhaps under your influence I may actually give in more often," he said. Jennifer risked a quick look at Severus to see him in a complete state of shock, his mouth even open slightly not particularly sure quite how to react. "Well, Jennifer, if you ever do begin to get tired of that tall, hawk-nosed wizard with no fashion sense beside you, feel free to come visit me. I would very much like to have you to tea and sit and listen to you talk to me for a thousand years or so and admire you. And then if we're not tired of each other by then, well then, we'll see," he winked at her good-naturedly, letting her know he knew the futility of his request but causing her to blush bright red just the same as he turned back to the centaur.

"Sagittari, good to see you! I dare say after this is over, you're going to have quite a few more of the wild magic sort to contend with, what with all those who eagerly snuck past to rejoin this world," Merlin said. "But I'm sure you can handle it, especially with such a fine team of Sentinels to help you. And you, you must be Harry Potter," Merlin continued, passing over Severus to greet him, shaking his hand warmly, then looking over at Dumbledore and back again. "Well, the two of you have a lot in common, don't you?" he said with amusement. "But I think you can get by without the beard, Harry. At least for the first couple hundred years or so," he advised him. "I can't help but say I'm quite impressed that someone so young as you has come so far. You will become one of the best Sentinels of the Light we've ever had, isn't that right, Albus?"

"Of that I have little doubt," Dumbledore smiled.

"Thank you sir, but actually, we have been wondering if you could tell us anything about the fluctuations in magic that have been happening lately?" Harry asked. "Does it have something to do with the missing Sentinel?"

"Missing?" Merlin said amused. "There aren't any missing Sentinels. I'd think that should have been obvious. But if you are asking me if the Ancient Sentinel has been the one causing the magic failures over the last year, the answer is yes. And actually, it's been going on since the boy decided to first stick his nose in the Tome. I really was hoping he'd have figured it out by now," he tsked, shaking his head.

Jennifer turned to face her husband, touching his hand that had suddenly gotten cold and clammy.

"You, Severus, it's you!" Jennifer said gazing at the haunted expression on his face with awe. "That night…the night the Twilight Arc failed…you had cast a power time delay spell on the lab to keep it from blowing up before we got the protects on it. And the day the Tower appeared was the same day you destroyed the book…in fact, I'd bet every single time you tried casting a spell from that book it had some effect…the only time it let up was when you didn't have access to any magic at all because of the wish! "

"You mean _he's_ been causing all the trouble with the magic failing all year?" Sirius said, suddenly sounding murderous. "Severus, you owe me about five hundred hours of overtime."

"Impossible," Severus said, not sounding too convinced

"Wish magic is the most basic form of magic, and definitely one of the most ancient forms," Jennifer added, Severus looking down at her unsurely. "You know, just about everybody here is an heir to somebody, I think I just figured out who you're an heir to," Jennifer said seriously.

"My boy, you're never going to learn how to control that side of your magical ability until you accept it, just as you had to when dealing with the wish part of it," Merlin said, finally looking Severus in the eye. "And I do believe the sooner you do the better for everyone's sake, don't you?" Severus wasn't sure he felt too well all of the sudden. In fact, he probably would have had to sit down, if Jennifer hadn't been by his side, gazing at him with a loving, proud expression so intense that that in itself startled him, finding himself lost in it.

"Rather cute couple," Merlin admitted reluctantly, watching them with a smile before looking back to Viviane. "But someone is missing! Where is the dead fellow?"

"He should be back in one piece at Hogwarts castle by now," Viviane said.

"Well then. I suppose I'll have to prolong my visit a little while longer. Keep the door open for me, dear Anna, I'll be right back," he said, disappearing into the air without a sound or fanfare.

"Is it safe to kill Severus now?" Sirius asked, earning a jab from Anna.

"Well, this has been utterly pointless," Lucius said.

"Only you of all people could possibly think that this was pointless, Malfoy," Arthur said with open dislike.

"I am not sure that even was Merlin. What did he do except go around and speak down to us like common Muggles? In fact, I'm not even sure this gate is real," Lucius added, stepping up closer to it. But before anyone could bark at him to get away, the right side of the arch suddenly glowed a bit and began to make the sound like a weeping child, louder and louder the longer that Lucius stood beside it.

"What is that?" Anna asked.

"It's the Lia Fal, I believe," Dumbledore said. "It has been said that it cries when a pretender of the High King draws near."

"So," Jennifer said, stepping away from Severus and looking at Malfoy with a spark in her eyes. "So, you're the heir of Mordred?" She suddenly broke into laughter as Malfoy squinted at her with hatred. "Why didn't I see it before? Well, it's good to know even Equinox didn't want to trust you with that book, that's the real reason they tried to send the Imp in for it, they thought you were trying to get it before they could…and you did try, didn't you?" Jennifer said, triumphantly reading his angry expression, then looking over to Draco and back. "You had a student try to steal it for you. That's why Draco was really there on Halloween, to get a report from Amadeus about his progress in getting it. He was the one who tried to steal it."

"How did he get in Severus' office?" Harry asked Jennifer.

"I can answer that," Severus suddenly said, looking annoyed at himself. "He was able to get in because some of the other Slytherin tricked Essie into getting the password for my office on the pretense of getting test results just before Halloween. They stayed long enough at the door to find out what it was and then hurried out believing that I would catch her," he realized, wanting to hit himself for not seeing it sooner.

"Interesting theory, but may I remind you that you don't have proof of any of this, let alone which student I may or may not have talked to," Lucius said.

"What business of you to talk to any of the students at all besides Danny?" Jennifer asked.

"_My_ business," Lucius said, eyes flashing dangerously, looking between Dumbledore and Jennifer. "You may 'banish' me from school property, Headmaster. And you may try to threaten and frame me all you like, Craw, but know this. I will always have a presence in that school, whether you know it or not, whether you feel it or not. There will never be a time when a set of eyes and hands there won't be mine. No matter what you attempt to do to me, I assure you, you will never be rid of me, and neither will your children, or your children's children." Lucius swore.

It was in that instant that something snapped within Jennifer, a fury that she had never felt before, and before she could even think or reason with herself about what she was doing her wand jumped into her hand and she felt the spell launch from her hand knocking Lucius all the way to the outer ring and against a monolith. Then she cooled slightly, feeling herself panting for breath and her head becoming incredibly clear and alert even as he stood up.

"If you think I am going to stand by and watch you try to rip this school apart, let alone haunt my family anymore, Lucius, you have another thing coming," Jennifer said.

"Don't just stand there, arrest her! She just cast a dark spell at me!" Lucius demanded, looking at Arthur.

"Spell? What spell, I didn't see anything, did anyone else see anything?" Arthur asked with a shrug. No one spoke up.

"Yes, and yet if I cast a spell back you would suddenly notice, wouldn't you?" Malfoy said, angrily clenching his wand as he stood.

"Why should we play fair when you never have, Malfoy?" Jennifer asked. "You want to be on even terms? Fine. You've wanted me dead long enough; I'll be nice and give you a legal way to do it. I challenge you to a Wizard's Duel." she said, her face deadly solemn.

"Jennifer, you can't be serious," Sirius said, alarmed by the look in her eyes. "Severus, say something!"

"I'll second," Severus said with a grim nod.

"Oh great, give him the chance to kill both of you," Sirius said, then Dumbledore put a hand on his shoulder. Everyone fell quiet again as Lucius looked over at Jennifer appraisingly for a long time.

"Accepted," he said at last, looking behind him. "Draco, you'll second of course?"

"Actually, I don't think so," Draco said, stepping aside as Lucius turned on him, his eyes flashing angrily. "You know, she always treated me like a student instead of a Malfoy, no matter how much of a pain I was. Besides. I think she's going to kill you," he admitted. Furious, Lucius turned to Norman Balmweed, who began to protest loudly but finally gave in when Lucius dragged him to his side, deciding right away if Lucius did get killed he was going to surrender immediately.

"Perhaps we should move out away from this structure, I think fighting here is probably not a good idea," Harry suggested.

"Lorcan died here," Jennifer said, taking off her cloak and handing it to Sagittari, who was standing beside her trying not to look worried. "It's only fitting that I face the other person who took my mother's life in the same spot."

Sirius' protests died and he became as somber as the rest as he realized the underlying reason for this duel. It had plagued her since before she came to the school, and one way or another; she wanted it to end. He only hoped it would end the right way.


	33. Victories

Chapter Thirty-Three

Victories

…And so, it had come to this.

Jennifer gazed around at everyone almost wistfully, focusing in on Severus who was standing right behind her, tossing his cloak onto a fallen monolith and meeting her gaze.

"I love you," Jennifer said.

"I love you," Severus said back without any hesitation, his expression unreadable. "Try not to die, will you?"

"I'll do my best," Jennifer said with a slight smile. "That all the advice you have for me?"

"You're smaller than he is, I suggest you use that to your advantage, and don't be afraid to use whatever spell is necessary to get the job done. After all, there are no evil spells…"

"Only evil wizards," Jennifer finished, nodding to Severus as she turned to face her opponent, who seemed in many ways a lot more collected and calm, as if he had done this a million times before. But Jennifer wouldn't let that rattle her, as she paced up to take her bow, first letting her worries about the children, both hers and Danny, drain from her head, of the mirror Malfoy had stolen and helped to nearly have her killed, of the time he had completely immobilized her in Knockturn…and of sending Lorcan…one by one those bits drifted away at her command until she was free of emotion, open only to what was happening at that very instant as Dumbledore counted off the paces.

Just then they turned, but Jennifer was ready for the quick attack Malfoy had planned and started her slide to one knee before the streak of light from the Cruciatus Curse went over her head.

"_Reflexus poena!_" Jennifer cast, hitting him in the legs with the Reflex curse. But even though each movement he took caused excruciating pain, Lucius didn't buckle, instead just growing angrier as he targeted her even as she changed to a more defensive stance.

"_Mortify!_" he snarled, a flash hitting her dead on before she could block, causing her head to spin. But instead of seeing her failures and weaknesses as she normally did when the spell was cast, she found her head spinning instead with some of the other times that it had been cast on her…when Pettigrew nearly kidnapped her, the first and second time, each time someone having to bail her out, and even earlier when Lucius himself cast it, rendering her close to unconscious, until Sirius stepped in with…

"_Defiance!_" Jennifer cast on herself, standing up and feeling a deep hatred and anger building towards her opponent. _Think clear now_, she told herself, _don't forget that defiance will make you very angry if you don't control it._ But part of her still wished to make his blood boil. What was to stop her? She had the power. She was in a duel for star's sake. Why not?

"_Abrumpera_!" As the break spell barreled towards her, Jennifer knew better than to block it directly, throwing up her left arm instead and wincing in pain as she felt her bone crack. It was better than her neck she winced, and definitely better than losing her wand arm had she attempted to block it.

"_Aetherfax!_" she cast, and the spectators decided to scramble back as a small but very real shooting star descended towards her target. Lucius quickly dove between the monoliths and it crashed into it, causing the stone on top to come tumbling down inches away from him.

"If something like that hits the gate, we're all going to be in serious trouble," Arthur pointed out to Dumbledore, who only nodded grimly in response. Jennifer was forced to step up a bit, trying to get a better view of him behind the rubble. Just then a hole opened up underneath her and she found herself desperately hanging from her hands, pushing her legs up to keep herself from falling further down and scrambling out of the hole. It was then as she lay there that she realized how much of her energy was now waning, and pain, not only caused by her arm was hitting her now. Lucius must have noticed as well, for he appeared behind the rubble in plain sight, Jennifer looking up just as his wand aimed at her for a second shot.

"_Accentuate!" _ All the pain she was feeling increased tenfold as the spell heightened her nerves, and Jennifer was only barely aware of the voices around her, screaming at her to get up. How she finally managed to get to her feet even she wasn't quite sure, focusing back on her target and the cravat around his neck. Suddenly it sprang to life, taking a snake-like appearance as it tried to strangle him, his face turning an unpleasant shade of red and then blue as he was finally able to wrench it off, buying Jennifer some much needed recovery time.

Lucius was without question furious now, and there was no mistaking the signs of death in his eyes as he turned to her. She knew the complex chant before he even finished it…Acidic Eulogy…a very painful death spell that disintegrated the victim from the inside out. Had there been any doubts before that Lucius meant to kill her it was over now, and had there been any thoughts he might have done it cleanly was finished. As another battle fought long ago, she was given little choice of what was to come next… or was she? In that dark moment she suddenly found inspiration for something more lasting…something more sinister than death, an answer that she had been searching for without knowing it…an end.

In the blink of an instant had all these thoughts entered her head, and as the spell came towards her a sudden spray of sulfuric acid came out of her wand and met the spell head-on, filling the air with a foul odor as well as neutralizing the spell as it went off. But Jennifer had not wasted a moment, using the smoke that had developed from the spells as a diversion, coming up behind him with a loud "_Expelliarmus!_" Knocking him to his feet out of sheer surprise as she began to cast a death spell of her own, poised over him with her wand arm out. He stared up defiantly at her, but his expression turned to confusion when she stopped in the exact center of the Wasting Death Curse, the spell hanging in the air as if waiting for something, a strange hum in the otherwise silent air.

"I will not spare you," Jennifer said, her voice sounding odd even to her own ears, "But when the rest of this spell will truly fall is up to you and you alone. From now until your dying day you will live with the curse of your borrowed time with me. If you, through any action, direct or indirect, or through any inaction, direct or indirect, cause or allow any harm to come to any of my family…me, my husband, or any of my children, this blow will finish, your empire will crumble under the weight of your own malice, and you will be nothing in history but a blotted memory. Is that clear?" she said, staring at his defiant gaze, weighing his options, well aware of the others that had gathered around them. "If it isn't, I'll just kill you now," Jennifer warned, and no one could mistake her complete willingness to carry out that threat.

"Quite clear," Lucius said with unmasked hatred.

Jennifer nodded then, finishing the recitation of the spell, and a dark, black, oozing cloud seeped out of the wand, hitting Lucius in the cheek and going on to cover his entire form. She stepped back then, feeling very numb for what she had just done, when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Turning, Jennifer fell into Severus' arms, dropping her wand and bursting into tears of relief mixed with grief, the rest of them gathering around her and no one really seeing exactly when it was that Lucius left. Her mother had been avenged, and in a way she would have approved of; for Jennifer knew it had always been her family that she wanted protected the most. Now that it was, Jennifer couldn't help but feel a great weight lifted off her heart; it was the first time in eight years that Jennifer felt she could finally begin to move on.

"I've never seen anybody winning a Wizard's Duel cry before," Erik said with a smile at Dumbledore, who was gently dobbing his own eyes.

"It's the sulfur," Dumbledore explained. "Ask anyone," he added, for there were hardly any dry eyes among them.

* * *

Ghostly drinks and a quickly painted buffet table motif was brought into the Trophy Room, and hugs both ghostly and wizardly were passed around as Icarus and Essie gathered with their friends in a small but enthusiastic welcome home party.

Janus and Rachel were both there, and of course Caprica and Bedivere. Angela, Doug, Danny, Taylor, Essie and Corey pulled up a table and brought up a parcel of treats for themselves. Even Francis Pyther accepted Icarus' invitation to come, and had set about making a memoir of the friends gathered there that night.

"I would like to make a toast to my heroine, Essie, for whom without which, I would not be hovering here tonight," Icarus said, giving her a very low bow. "I am forever in your debt." The rest of them clapped and toasted while Essie blushed pink, smiling at them.

"How exactly did you get out of that cellar you found Icarus in, anyhow?" Doug wanted to know.

"Magic," Essie said simply, taking a drink.

"Are you a Focus Caster too, then?" Taylor asked. Essie shook her head, becoming interested in a treacle tart. "Then how did you get out?"

"Magic," Essie said again, taking a bite.

"Now, now, every woman must have her secrets," Caprica chided them. "Founders know I had quite a few in my day."

"Ah yes, that is very true," Pyther agreed. "Although I have painted men from time to time that have a secret or two as well."

"Oh, and I'm really sorry to hear you seem to have lost Whiskers again," Angela said, earning a dirty look from Essie.

"He comes and goes a lot, I'm sure he'll turn up before we have to leave for the summer. I hope. I'd hate to think of leaving him here until next year," Doug said. Essie and Angela looked at each other thoughtfully.

"So, this is where you've gone to?" They all looked up to see McGonagall standing in the doorway with her hands on her hips. "Do you know the hour? And may I remind you have finals coming up next week?"

"Oh, it's my fault, Minerva, I have been gone for so long, I wanted to see all of my friends…" Icarus protested.

"And Essie hasn't slept in twenty four hours."

"Oh, I'll be all right, Professor McGonagall," Essie promised. "At least can't we stay until Mister Pyther has finished his painting?"

"I can't do it any other time of the day, after all," Pyther coaxed.

"Very well, I suppose as long as you see them to their rooms afterwards to make sure they actually get to them for a change," McGonagall said, frowning at them as if wondering if they truly had the ability to do so as she left.

It wasn't very long after they had started eating again that Corey looked around with a peculiar look on his face.

"Do you ever get the odd feeling that you're missing something profound somewhere else?" he said. Pyther looked up from his painting with unmistakable interest.

"Profound? In what way?" Pyther wanted to know.

"Well, I got this odd sense of déjà vu just now," Corey said.

"This isn't the first time we've come up here for an impromptu party, Corey," Danny pointed out with a chuckle.

"This is the first time I've gotten to go, and if this is how upper classman normally live, I think I can get used to it," Angela said, earning a chuckle from the others.

"Ah yes, curious isn't it, how the young only dream of growing older, and yet the old always seem to dream about when they were younger," said a voice that at first Corey thought was Dumbledore's. But when he looked up he saw right a way it wasn't Dumbledore at all; he had a long beard like his and silvery in tone, but his eyes were icier and there was a curious timelessness in them and he wore no glasses. He was darker in some ways then Dumbledore, but Corey wasn't quite sure how; not necessarily in a bad way; it was as if a darkness of terrible burdens and experiences surrounded him, a hauntedness that balanced out his glowing, mischievous smile.

If Icarus could have gotten any paler being a ghost, he would have as the Master of Enchantments stepped in the room. The ghost bowed so low that his nose might have touched the floor had he been standing on it. Janus and Rachel quickly followed suit with bows and curtseys of their own, and Caprica pushed her way into Bedivere's picture so she could see their guest better.

"Excuse me, sir, but are you allowed to be here?" Pyther asked nervously. "It's rather late for the school to be having guests, you understand."

"Yes, I understand, Francis, but I have very little time before I must head back to Tir Na Nog," he said, causing Pyther's jaw to drop.

"Tir Na Nog?" Corey repeated with surprise. "You live there?"

"For now, Corey," Merlin smiled at him. "But not forever, I think. So, Icarus, you were the other born with my curse of time."

"Yes, sir. I have often wondered how you've been able to manage it for so long," Icarus said humbly, "As I'm sure you noticed I rather failed to live well with it."

"I believe the key for me has always been not to take myself too seriously," Merlin said. "And you, my friend, have long taken everything much too seriously. But you and your friends here were able to get the Sentinels and the seal back on firm ground, and for that I thank you. Now if you can only keep them safe until the next time I come around…"

"That depends on if anyone else goes messing around and splitting up his remains," Janus said.

"Oh, don't worry, Janus, I've taken care of that personally," Francis reassured him. "Your vaults have all been specially warded and the room sealed so that only I or the Headmaster can open it. And I personally have no intention of going anywhere."

Merlin turned to look at the painter with an amused look on his face.

"Your half life has been kind to you, Francis…too kind for your own good. You were quite young when it happened…perhaps that's part of the reason that you somehow managed to salvage your soul instead of turn into a corrupt creature like most of your kind."

"I believe it has been the love for my work, sir, that has kept me sane, and the need to explore new avenues of my talent," Francis said.

"Yes, Francis, but I'm not sure that will be enough forever," Merlin said. "One day, not so many years from now when the seedlings just planted become young, beautiful trees in their own right, you are going to learn that there are more rewarding types of love out there to be given and received. Mark my words, you'll be bitten by the love bug when you least expect it, and when that time comes, you are going to learn that that is a much more powerful bite than the one that bought you the six hundred years it made you wait for the chance to meet her."

"Gosh, I hope I don't have to wait six hundred years," Corey said, wondering if he should rethink his strategy for waiting for his soulmate.

"Probably not, but I'm sure it'll seem like it," Merlin winked at him, and then turned to Rachel. "They will miss you, when you go."

"I am not going anywhere until I'm sure Icarus has finally found some peace," Rachel said stubbornly, Icarus taking her arm.

"There is no reason to be stubborn on my account," Icarus said.

"Yes, he can be stubborn enough for all of us," Caprica teased.

"As for you four, well done, I dare say you've deserved a bit of a break for all of your hard work," he smiled up at the paintings, Icarus and Janus.

"You sound as if you're saying goodbye, but we don't even know who you are yet," Essie said with exasperation. "And yet you seem to know all of us."

"Don't know me, Essie?" Merlin said with amusement. "Oh, you know more of me than you think you do, I have little doubt a little of me still exists here. Not that that's really important, you know," he added thoughtfully. "Yes, you should learn about the past so you can learn from the past. You can look to the future to choose which paths you want to take down the line. But the present…that's where all the real action is," Merlin winked. "And that is all the advice I have for any of you, except…well, Essie, tell that boy the truth before the summer starts, you can't keep him hanging by a string forever," Merlin said, walking back over to the door as Essie blushed pink again. As he was about to leave he happened to chance a look at the painting, growing quite thoughtful.

"Goodness, Francis, you really have become a master of your art, haven't you?" he said with surprise. "Of course you realize that painting is going to give you nothing but trouble now that you went and decided to put me in it."

"Well, yes sir, but I was thinking perhaps it might shake things up a bit around here and keep everyone on their toes," Francis said grinned mischievously. Merlin smiled in like kind looking at the painting and him again.

"I don't suppose you'd be interested in walking be back to the gate?" Merlin said.

"Well, as soon as I walk the students back, I'd be honored," Pyther smiled, standing up. As they left, only the two ghosts and Bedivere noticed a soft snoring coming from above the door. Caprica had fallen fast asleep.

One by one or two by two Merlin and Pyther walked them to their dorms, Corey and Doug the last two to climb in their beds, Corey staring sleeplessly up at the ceiling the moment he got settled.

"Doug, you don't think that old wizard could have been, well, Merlin or something? He did talk about a Tir Na Nog and a gate."

"Corey, go to sleep," Doug said. But Corey could hardly argue his point, because Doug began to snore moments later.


	34. Blessings of the Here and Now with Toast

Chapter Thirty-Four

Blessings of the Here and Now with Toasts to Happy Endings

Jennifer looked over her trunks and her Unremarkable suitcase before standing in front of the mirror, double-checking the buttons on her robes. A figure suddenly lurked behind her and kissed the back of her neck and she wriggled slightly, trying to move to the side.

"We don't have time for that, we need to go to the End of Year Feast, remember? Essie is getting an award?" Jennifer reminded him.

"Do you have any regrets?" Severus asked her, getting him to look over at the almost baiting look in his eyes.

"About what?"

"Not taking Merlin up on his offer."

"Severus!" Jennifer laughed. "You know quite well I would never go anywhere without you."

"Yes, and I did get the feeling I wouldn't have been invited." Severus mused.

"I wouldn't put Dumbledore past taking up his offer to head to Tir Na Nog for a few hundred years after he retires, though," Jennifer added, "Not that that'd be anytime soon. Did you remember to pack the books Merlin gave you to study?"

"No, I decided to go ahead and get Corey to read them and then burn them," Severus said, earning a dirty look from Jennifer. "Yes, I packed them, they're in my cloak. But you know, I don't really blame him for what he said to you," he kept on, following closely behind Jennifer as she headed for the door, not letting her open it. "If the circumstances would have been different and if I had been a wiser man seven years ago, I would have probably said the exact same thing when I first saw you too."

"Now that I doubt," Jennifer chuckled at him. "We were both so naïve back then."

"Bite your tongue, I was never naïve," Severus snorted.

"Do you deny how much you've changed over the last few years?"

"No," Severus said evenly. "You made me reevaluate my thoughts on risks, rewards, life, death, priorities, passions and pet peeves. Helped me accept who I am, who I was, and who I may become if things keep going the way they're going. And I dare say you've definitely been through the same transformations as I…although you're still naïve," he added, leaning over for a kiss.

"Banquet, remember?" Jennifer said, turning the knob.

"Delaying the inevitable again," Severus said with a thin smile, letting her open the door.

Corey and Doug took their places, grinning wildly and waving over to the Slytherin table where Danny waved glumly back.

"Do you believe our luck? First place! For the first time since first year! And all because Amadeus Longbottom lost seventy-five points and had two back to back detentions for breaking in Snape's office," Doug said.

"I still think they should have expelled him," Corey said, "But he did confess to who put them up to it, that's why he got off on a lighter sentence."

"I hear your sister's getting an award for helping catch Trelawney, is that true?" Gail asked.

"Yep! Today's Essie's big day. That should finally put to rest some of those loudmouth Slytherin who thought she didn't belong here," Corey said. "If only I had been as lucky as her to have somehow talked McGonagall and Craw to give her automatic pass marks on her finals for the whole thing."

"Well she does deserve it, but not as much as we deserve to win the House Cup this year," Perry said.

"I don't know. Personally, I think Hufflepuff should win. And they were only twenty points behind us," Kate said.

"Bite your tongue, Kate! You're going to jinx us!" Doug flailed. But everyone around them had started to quiet down as the teachers took their places and they all looked up, grinning expectantly at Dumbledore, standing at the center of the table.

"Here were are, at the end of another very, very exciting school year," Dumbledore said. "We have seen very traumatic events both in the school and out of the school, and as usual, somehow managed to weather the events nicely. Of course, these events do cause changes, but then, all things must change, in time," he added with a smile, looking around. "One of the changes for next year, I would like to go ahead and announce today, for it involves someone that all of you have come to know in the past year. I have recommended, and the board has accepted, Professor Icarus Ravenclaw as our new Divination Professor for next term, and from what I've already discussed with him, filled with an exciting new agenda that will definitely breathe new spirit into that old classroom." A fairly hardy applause came from around the room, especially at the Ravenclaw table.

"Wow, maybe I'll even give in and take the course," Corey grinned at Doug, who agreed.

Dumbledore paused as he saw a ghost heading to the front, hovering before where Icarus sat behind the table, smiling at him. Icarus stood then, gazing at Dame Rachel with knowing eyes, bowing to her and offering his hand. She touched it only briefly, smiling lovingly, then with only a momentary, wistful glance towards Ravenclaw turned and walked up the aisle, literally ascending as she did so, glowing brighter and brighter until she looked less like an apparition and more like a star, shooting up into the enchanted sky and out of the castle. Everyone was quiet for a moment as they realized that the Grey Lady had finally found her peace knowing the son she bore had finally come to find some of his own. Many of the ghosts were crying from happiness, and even the Bloody Baron was willing to stop and pat Nicholas on the back where they stood. Even Dumbledore paused to wipe his eyes and his glasses, before finally continuing with his speech.

"Now, here… I must apologize for a moment. For as I've said, and as I'm sure you've read by now, that the last few weeks here have been quite busy for me, and it came to my attention that the very person I would like to honor today, for her quick thinking in seizing a cursed item and bringing it to its rightful owner and thereby insuring not only the school's safety, but the safety of our entire community, should also get some points attached to it. So without further delay, I would like to give thirty points and the Special Service Award, to Miss Essie Willowby!" Applause went up around the room and most got up and stood, even at the Gryffindor table, slightly disappointed, could hardly fault the victory, giving her a standing ovation. Everyone looked over to the door expecting to see her, leaning back and peering over each other to try and see, but they didn't see anything at first, until someone suddenly pointed out a tiny mouse running up the center of the aisle.

"Whiskers? Where are you going?" Doug asked, but wasn't heard over the applause even as they all began to wonder where she was. But just at the bottom of the step, the mouse began to grow, and by the time she had reached the high table, Essie was standing there, grinning, and the applause suddenly got even louder as she accepted the award. Doug slowly sat down, in complete shock, Corey barely able to stand himself out of sheer pride.

"My sister's an Animagus! My sister's an Animagus!" he called excitedly.

"My familiar is a girl," Doug said, groaning and putting his hands over his head.

* * *

It was such a relief to be home. Jennifer Apparated right to the door and went straight down the stairs to pick Alicia up into her arms, kissing her a dozen times over before finally hugging Carol and traded Alicia off to Severus for the others, each one in turn. Remus was there, his arm around Carol lovingly, smiling warmly to see them so happy to be there, and Corey stayed only long enough to drop off his stuff before running over to Essie's house to talk to her about the mouse thing.

There was so much catching up to do on both sides…the school news and the children's news of their accomplishments since last week's visits, and soon it was time to settle all the children down, lined up one by one.

"They're so perfect, every one," Carol smiled at them.

"They're going to be absolute terrors at Hogwarts," Remus teased.

"Yes," Severus said distantly, exchanging a private glance with Jennifer.

"I love them all," Jennifer said, gently kissing Alicia. "Every one of them is distinctly different and every one of them will be brilliant in their own right."

"There's a mother's love for you," Carol smile. "You'll have to write us often, I shall miss them dearly over the summer."

"Not too often I trust," Remus said mischievously.

"You both just enjoy your honeymoon. If we can handle teaching, we can handle these four, and we'll have Corey here," Jennifer reassured them as she and Severus walked them upstairs.

"Well, I warn you, they can be a handful," Carol chuckled.

"We'll manage," Severus assured them. They waved to back to them as they left, Disapparating together, and Severus quickly closed the door, an evil smile appearing on his face. "Alone at last," he said, just before a child started squealing downstairs.

"Sounds like Alex," Jennifer said, opening the door and heading down.

"'Lisa go bye bye! 'Lisa go bye bye!" she declared, pointing at the empty crib.

"Alicia!" Jennifer screamed, her heart leaping in her throat as the two of them scrambled downstairs and looked around the crib. "She's only five weeks old, where could she possibly have gone?"

"Nobody could have gotten in down here," Severus said, opening up the curtain and checking the balcony. "Maybe Carol…"

"Oh, Severus, honestly!" Jennifer protested, as they began to tear the room apart. But a moment later, they heard a knock at the door. With a quick glance between them, they raced each other up the stairs, popping open the door to see Sirius standing there with a baby in his arms.

"We found this little one suddenly nestled in with the twins," Sirius explained. "Is it one of yours?"

"Yes, ha-ha, very funny," Severus scowled as Jennifer took the baby. "And just how did you do that?"

"Me? I didn't do anything. I just thought you might be worried."

"You can say that again. Alicia has been a constant worry for me since the day she was born," Jennifer admitted, kissing her lovingly. Just then an owl swooped down and a note landed on Sirius' head, and Severus took it from him, opening it up quickly seeing it was from the school then relaxing noticeably.

"Well, I suppose that explains everything," Severus said calmly, and handed Jennifer the note:

I thought you'd like to know that this name appeared in the book today; Alicia Corsiva Snape. Have a wonderful summer ~ Minerva.

"So we have an even set after all," Severus said calmly.

"What a perfect end to a wonderful year!" Jennifer said happily. "But then, how could we have doubted it? There's never been anything but magic between us," she said, looking up at her husband lovingly.

"That's it, I'm out of here," Sirius said quickly, heading back to his own family and smiling as he thought about his future, while Severus leaned over to kiss his wife, content to enjoy the here and now.

End of Series Two

_A/N And here we are at the end of another series! Thanks for reading, and thanks for the reviews! The next series occurs seven years later just before Alexandria is ready to go to school...a new threat has emerged, and along with some old ones who just refuse to go away despite Jennifer's best efforts, making for troubling times. Series Three, the Destiny Series, starts with Jennifer Craw and the Diamonds of Time, although actually, there's really only two books in the series that concentrates on Jennifer...most of them are about the entire family, which I hope you'll come to know better in this next series :) In any case, thanks for getting this far, and keep reading! JCWriter_


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